Abstract
The potential for lightweighting of railway axles was investigated to primarily reduce the unsprung mass of a rail vehicle. The reduction of unsprung mass equates to an overall lighter train which will help to reduce track damage, energy consumption and total operating costs. This work was performed within the NEXTGEAR project which is ascribed under the Shift2Rail program. This paper focusses on the design of a composite railway axle as part of the “Wheelset of the future” Work Package 3.A parametric study is presented for the sizing of one of the design concepts (the full-length pre-manufactured tube axle) that shows the greatest potential for mass reduction. This study uses the existing hollow steel axle as a benchmark for mass, strength and stiffness. The estimated mass of this composite axle is 50 kg. This represents an estimated mass reduction of 75% compared to the existing hollow steel axle.
Highlights
The volume of European rail traffic is growing rapidly
This paper presents a parametric study for the sizing of the full‐length pre‐manufactured tube axle design concept
It is the fully reversed fatigue loading derived from the bending moments that primarily lead to failure of a railway axle [17]
Summary
The volume of European rail traffic is growing rapidly. This makes it ever‐more important that tracks, signals, and bridges are both safe and reliable. The cost of infrastructure maintenance and renewal already exceeds €25 billion a year across Europe, and this is continuing to rise Despite this spending, operators are under pressure to maintain their assets. Heavier trains, running at higher speeds and greater density, have led to increased stresses on the rails This results in rail wear and rolling contact fatigue which poses a significant risk to safe and reliable rail transport. The wheelsets, comprising the axle and wheels, represent the majority of the unsprung mass which gives rise to track impact damage. One theme of NEXTGEAR is the “Wheelset of the Future” This comprises the design of a composite railway axle to form a hybrid metallic‐composite (HMC) wheelset. The aim is to reduce the unsprung mass of the bogie with a focus on the design of a composite railway axle. This paper presents a parametric study for the sizing of the full‐length pre‐manufactured tube axle design concept
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