Numerical thermo-mechanical analysis of a railway train wheel

Abstract In this paper, the variation of thermal stresses, strains and deformations created by combined thermal and mechanical loads is investigated in block braked railway wheels. Thermo-mechanical analyses of the railway wheel were performed by using finite element (FE) for the numerical analysis. Before performing FE analyses, input parameters, e.g. heat flow, heat conduction, heat convection, applied loads and boundary conditions were transferred from railway wheel conditions in reality. The thermal analysis of wheel structure in the analysis calculation was evaluated experimentally, and validated with numerical result used in current model. In this purpose, ANSYS Workbench module package was used to simulate the distribution of stress and temperature field over the wheel. Combined thermal and mechanically induced damage surfaces of the railway wheel in reality were compared with numerical results in ANSYS. It was concluded from the results that 3D simulations in this wheel model showed a significant effect of thermal loading rather than mechanical loading on wheel braking tread, and combination of thermal and mechanical loading caused the detrimental effect on railway wheel structures those used in this model.