Full-scale test and numerical simulation of wheelset-gear box vibration excited by wheel polygon wear and track irregularity

Abstract

The wheelset-gear box of high-speed train is the typical unsprung mass serving in the complex excitation environment. To investigate the independent and compounded influences of wheelset out-of-roundness, wheel polygon wear and track irregularity on the vibration performance of wheelset-gearbox system, the 1:1 high-frequency excitation test based on the rolling test rig is carried out within the speeds of 100 ∼ 500 km/h. The corresponding multi-body dynamic model is established and validated. The detailed wheel-wheel contact relations are discussed. The research results indicate that the test rig dynamic model can capture the vibration amplitude and main frequency characteristics well, especially for the vibration below 1000 Hz. For the wheelset-gearbox system without track excitation, its vibration energy is basically concentrated in the resonance region of test object. At higher speeds, the vibrations induced by wheelset and motor rotation gradually become dominant. Under excitation of the grinded polygon wear in rail wheel, the multiple-frequency vibration almost determines the system vibration level within the test speed ranges, whilst the vibration induced by the wheelset and motor rotation plays an important role only at the speed above 300 km/h. In comparison, the high-speed track random irregularity contributes very small vibration magnitude. For the axle box, the vibration amplitude composition ratios led by the excitations of wheelset out-of-roundness, rail wheel polygon wear and track irregularity are around 26.7%, 48.3% and 25% correspondingly. And for the gear box, the composition ratios reach 38.46%, 32.05% and 29.49% respectively. The wheel polygon wear has been the main excitation source in the high-frequency vibration of wheelset system, followed by the wheelset 1st-order out of round and track irregularity in sequence.