Study on the Mechanism of Wheel Asymmetric Wear of Heavy-Haul Freight Vehicles

Abstract

Wear on the wheel-rail interface has a serious effect on the operation safety and efficiency of heavy-haul freight vehicles. Wheel asymmetric wear (WAW) greatly affects the vehicle’s dynamic performance. This paper explores the causes of WAW in heavy-haul freight vehicles and proposes the limit value of the WAW. A dynamic model of heavy-haul freight vehicle is established and the Jendel wheel wear model is used to analyze the mechanisms and influencing factors of WAW. The study primarily focuses on four factors: uneven loading of freight vehicles, differences in wheel surface hardness, suspension errors of the left and right side, and the distribution characteristics of the line. Next, the wheel wear model is verified by the test data, the flange wear and tread wear are analyzed at the same time. The WAW limits value under the load and empty conditions by considering the elastic wheelset model is investigated. The results showed that differences in wheel surface hardness between the left and right wheels and line distribution are the main causes of WAW. By conducting dynamic calculations, the WAW limit value of the empty and heavy vehicle is set as 2 mm. During the operation, it is necessary to effectively monitor the vehicle and track parameters that affect WAW.