Analyzing Wear Condition of Wheel on Crossing a Case of Addis Ababa Light Rail Transit Line
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Date
2018-07
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The aspects of wear, friction and fatigue are very important in the operation of railways. There exist significant researches that deal with identifying the wear and fatigue mechanisms within wheel-rail contact. Different approaches are necessary to identify different phases on wear and fatigue behavior in wheel-rail contact, eventually making it possible to minimize the problem of unexpected wear and fatigue failure.
Among the numerous components used in the railway industry for the high axle load operation wheels and rails comprise a major source of running expenditure. Wheel wear is one of the common factors that interrupts the vehicle movement and may cause derailment and overturning risk. The evaluation and prediction of wheel wear is a fundamental issue in the railway field, both in terms of vehicle stability and economic cost. Wheel Wear effect is the main challenge of AALRT which takes more operation and maintenance cost, and also reduces the life of track and vehicles. The study tries to assess whether the crossing alignment is the cause of excessive wheel wears of AALRT, determine wear index and wear rate prediction.
The study has performed the task of determining creepage and creep forces between wheel-rail contacts. It uses the wheel type s1002, and rail USC50 on crossing, by using MBS software. Varied speeds 30kmh, 40 and 50kmh are used, by considering empty and fully loaded vehicle under maximum load of 65 ton. The simulation was made and the results are used to determining wear index by using SIMPACKv8.9 MBS function. Simulation results show that creepage and creep forces are optimum at crossing, which gives the maximum wear index at the points for both fully and empty loaded vehicles. This indicates that crossover is among the causes of wheel wear to wheels of AALRT trains.
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multi-body system, crossover, wear, creepage, wear index