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Modelling of dynamic contact length in rail grinding process

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Abstract

Rails endure frequent dynamic loads from the passing trains for supporting trains and guiding wheels. The accumulated stress concentrations will cause the plastic deformation of rail towards generating corrugations, contact fatigue cracks and also other defects, resulting in more dangerous status even the derailment risks. So the rail grinding technology has been invented with rotating grinding stones pressed on the rail with defects removal. Such rail grinding works are directed by experiences rather than scientifically guidance, lacking of flexible and scientific operating methods. With grinding control unit holding the grinding stones, the rail grinding process has the characteristics not only the surface grinding but also the running railway vehicles. First of all, it’s important to analyze the contact length between the grinding stone and the rail, because the contact length is a critical parameter to measure the grinding capabilities of stones. Moreover, it’s needed to build up models of railway vehicle unit bonded with the grinding stone to represent the rail grinding car. Therefore the theoretical model for contact length is developed based on the geometrical analysis. And the calculating models are improved considering the grinding car’s dynamic behaviors during the grinding process. Eventually, results are obtained based on the models by taking both the operation parameters and the structure parameters into the calculation, which are suitable for revealing the process of rail grinding by combining the grinding mechanism and the railway vehicle systems.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Mechanical, Electronic and Control, Beijing Jiaotong Unversity, Beijing, 100044, China

    Shaodan Zhi & Jianyong Li

  2. Railroad Engineering Program, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, 19711, USA

    A. M. Zarembski

Authors
  1. Shaodan Zhi
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  2. Jianyong Li
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  3. A. M. Zarembski
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Correspondence to Jianyong Li.

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Zhi, S., Li, J. & Zarembski, A.M. Modelling of dynamic contact length in rail grinding process. Front. Mech. Eng. 9, 242–248 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11465-014-0305-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11465-014-0305-y

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