Wheel-Rail Interface Handbook

Many of the engineering problems of particular importance to railways arise at interfaces and the safety-critical role of the wheel/rail interface is widely acknowledged. Better understanding of wheel/rail interfaces is therefore critical to improving the capacity, reliability and safety of the railway system.Wheel-rail interface handbook is a one-stop reference for railway engineering practitioners and academic researchers. Part one provides the fundamentals of contact mechanics, wear, fatigue and lubrication as well as state-of-the-art research and emerging technologies related to the wheel/rail interface and its management. Part two offers an overview of industrial practice from several different regions of the world, thereby providing an invaluable international perspective with practitioners' experience of managing the wheel/rail interface in a variety of environments and circumstances.This comprehensive volume will enable practising railway engineers, in whatever discipline of railway engineering - infrastructure, vehicle design and safety, and so on - to enhance their understanding of wheel/rail issues, which have a major influence on the running of a reliable, efficient and safe railway. - One-stop reference on the important topic of wheel rail-interfaces - Presents the fundamentals of contact mechanics, wear, fatigue and lubrication - Examines state-of-the-art research and emerging technologies related to wheel-rail interface and its management

Part 1 State-of-the-art research: Introduction to wheel-rail interface research; Basic tribology of the wheel-rail contact; Wheel-rail contact mechanics; Friction and wear simulation of the wheel-rail interface; Rail materials; Railway wheel wear; Fatigue of railway wheels; Out-of-round railway wheels; Rail surface fatigue and wear; The evolution and failure of pearlitic microstructure in rail steel: Observations and modelling; Rail corrugation; Rail welds; Squats on railway rails; Effect of contaminants on wear, fatigue and traction; Effect of damage on railway vehicle dynamics; Noise and vibration from the wheel-rail interface; Adhesion and friction modification; Wheel-rail isolation; Airborne particles from the wheel-rail contact; Maintenance of the wheel-rail interface; Models for infrastructure costs related to the wheel-rail interface. Part 2 Industrial context - managing the wheel-rail interface; Managing the wheel-rail interface: Railway infrastructure maintenance in a severe environment; The Swedish experience; Managing the wheel-rail interface: Europe Metro (London Underground) experience on the London Underground Victoria line; Managing the wheel-rail interface: The Canadian experience; Managing the wheel-rail interface: The US experience; Managing the wheel-rail interface: The Japanese experience; Managing the wheel-rail interface: The Australian experience; Managing the wheel-rail interface: The Dutch experience.