The Influence of Tread Hollowing of the Railway Wheels on the Hunting of a Coach

A railway wheel has subjected to millions of intense wheel-rail contact cycles in its lifetime. Due to these severe contacts, wheel surface has worn gradually to a hollow shape. Also, tread hollowing rarely has occurred by plastic flow of surface material. Tread hollowing major consequences are false flange and different rolling radius of the wheels on a wheelset. False flange queers vehicle steerage and rolling radius differences can advance vehicle instability. This paper investigates the effect of tread hollowing, in the form of false flange and rolling radius difference, on the dynamic behavior of a railway coach. Modeling and analysis of the coach equipped by hollow wheels is performed using Adams Rail software. This study is conducted following on the problem appeared after operation of the newly purchased passenger coaches by the Iranian railways. So, the main topic which is focused on is the lateral displacement of the coach. Finally, results are reported and compared to achieve a proper criterion for tread hollowing.Copyright © 2010 by ASME