Effect of High-speed Train Polygonal Wheels on Wheel/Rail Contact Force and Bogie Vibration

Abstract

The polygonal wheels of high-speed trains will increase the wheel-rail vertical force dramatically and have a bad effect on the components of the vehicles and rails. Then the safety of the trains can’t be assured. The damage of bogie’s components is found through site testing which related to high-order polygonal wear of wheels. The vehicle-track coupling dynamics model with polygonal wheels is established. The effect of amplitude and order of polygonal wear and running speed on wheel/rail force and acceleration of the wheelsets and the bogies is invested. The results show that the higher speed of the train and amplitude and order of wheel polygon can lead to the higher wheel/rail force and the higher acceleration. The results obtained in this investigation may be helpful for the further study on the mechanism of polygonal wear of the wheels.