Evaluation criteria of wheel/rail interaction measurement results by trackside control equipment

Abstract

The condition of the wheelset of a running train is controlled by trackside automated control equipment (TACE), which measures parameters of wheel/rail contact and signals about possible damages in wheels. Calculation of strength and lifetime of train running gear and roadbed of rail track should be based on values of wheel vertical impact on rail. The major problem of using TACE is low reliability of measured wheel/rail interaction force values and low repeatability of TACE readings. This problem occurs because wheel/rail interaction is a completely stochastic phenomenon. It is necessary to control the indirect indicators defining studied interaction of wheel and rail. One of these indicators is irregularity of wheel running surface, whose magnitude is regulated and measured in train inspection stations. The dynamic factor Kd as a derived criterion is evaluated and the new system of criteria, ensuring sufficient reliability of vehicle wheel damage measurement data is proposed.