3D finite element investigation on the plastic flows of rolling contacts—correlation with railhead microstructural observations

M. Busquet (1, 2) , Laurent Baillet (1, 2) , C. Bordreuil (1) , Yves Berthier (1, 2)

1 LaMCoS - Laboratoire de Mécanique des Contacts et des Structures [Villeurbanne]
2 TMI - Tribologie et Mécanique des Interfaces

In this work, a three-dimensional elasto-plastic finite element model is used to simulate the rail mechanical response to the action of a rolling wheel. Plastic flows in the near-surface layer are computed as a function of the traction coefficient. The depth and the distortion of the plastically deformed layer are analysed versus this traction coefficient and correlated qualitatively to the microstructural observations of plastic flows in real railheads and existing theoretical studies. The deviations of the numerical results with reality are discussed in terms of the presence of a solid third body layer, neglected in the simulations.

Keywords: Wheel–rail contact; Plastic flows; Modelling; FE simulations; Third body

Domains: Engineering Sciences [physics]

M. Busquet, Laurent Baillet, C. Bordreuil, Yves Berthier. 3D finite element investigation on the plastic flows of rolling contacts—correlation with railhead microstructural observations. Wear, 2005, 258 (7-8), pp.1071 à 1080. ⟨10.1016/j.wear.2004.03.069⟩. ⟨insu-00355400⟩