OVERVIEW OF PHENOMENA OF ROLLING CONTACT FATIGUE OF WHEEL/RAIL

The typical phenomena of rolling contact fatigue of wheel and rail system are described, and their causes and evolutions are qualitatively analyzed according to the formation and location of them on wheel/rail. The investigation on the rolling contact fatigue occurring in some railway lines in China is introduced, and numerical results regarding the interaction of wheel/rail systems in China is given. The numerical results were obtained by calculation with Non hertzian theory of three dimensional rolling contact. They show that the main causes of serious rolling contact fatigue of the wheel/rail systems are non reasonable profiles of wheel/rail and cant angle of rail in China. Also the further researches in the field in the future are indicated.