Wheel–rail dynamic interaction caused by wheel out-of-roundness and its transmission between wheelsets

Abstract

High-order and low-order wheel out-of-roundness (OOR) often occur on metro train wheels, which can intensify the wheel–rail dynamic interaction. A vehicle–track rigid-flexible coupled dynamics model is built through combining the dynamics software SIMPACK with the finite element software ANSYS, which is validated by field vibration measurement results of vehicle and track. Two adjacent vehicles with two two-axle bogies for each one are considered in the model. The wheel–rail interactions caused by high-order and low-order wheel OOR are investigated. The influence of the wheel–rail interaction caused by wheel OOR on one wheelset on wheel–rail interactions at other 7 wheelsets is explored. The results show that the wheel OOR can excite the first bending vibration of the wheelset and the P2 resonance at a normal operating speed, which can result in a considerable increase of the wheel–rail dynamic interaction and wheelset vibration. The wheel–rail dynamic interaction can be transmitted from the polygonised wheelset to another wheelset of the same bogie through the rail. However, the transmission is negligible from the path of the bogie. The amplitude of wheel OOR has no effect on the transmission ratio of wheel–rail dynamic interaction, but the vertical stiffness and damping coefficient of fasteners greatly influence the transmission. The two wheelsets on the same bogie should be re-profiled simultaneously if the radial run-out for one wheelset exceeds the limit and for the other does not. The effects of vibration transmission between wheelsets and track flexibility need to be taken into account in a model for predicting the development of wheel OOR.