Development of wear-fatigue-lubrication-interaction model for cost effective rail maintenance decisions

Abstract

Prediction of operational risk and enhancement of reliability and safety for rail network are important to rail infrastructure providers and train operators. Rail defects leading to rail breaks and derailments cost huge amount due to cancelled / delayed traffic, emergency maintenance, loss of assets, loss of revenues and liability compensations due to down times. Wear occurring at the wheel/rail interface as a result of ineffective lubrication costs huge amount to rail infrastructure providers per year. Cost of rail-wheel maintenance and replacements are reduced significantly with effective lubrication. Studies on interaction of factors behind wear, fatigue, lubrication and grinding problems are required to monitor those factors and finding out cost effective technological solutions in predicting and reducing operational risks. This paper focuses on development of wear-fatigue-lubrication-interaction model for cost effective rail maintenance decisions.