Study on the Factors Affecting the Wheel–Rail Lateral Impact of the Forepart of the Curved Switch Rail

Abstract

In the switch rail section of a high-speed turnout, the wheel–rail lateral impact of the forepart of the curved switch rail is the most important factor affecting the passing performance. In order to reduce the lateral impact and improve the passing safety, a complete vehicle–track multi-body dynamics model is devised in this paper. The variation of the wheel–rail relationship when the train passes through is analyzed. The lateral force and derailment coefficient are calculated under different parameters, and the wear index is also calculated under some working conditions. The results show that properly reducing the lateral damping of the curved switch rail can effectively reduce the wheel–rail lateral force and derailment coefficient of this section, while keeping the track shape undamaged. The optimization of rail cant design plays an important role in alleviating lateral wheel–rail impact. Decreasing the height reduction of the switch rail is helpful to optimize the lateral force of the forepart of the curved switch rail. The selection of a suitable cutting mode for switch blade and reasonable control of the wheel–rail impact angle as well as passing speed have positive effects on controlling the lateral wheel–rail impact of the forepart of the curved switch rail.

Keywords

• railway turnout
• curved switch rail
• wheel–rail impact
• multi-body dynamics