Improvement of Curving Performance by Modification of Wheel/Rail Contact Condition : Combinations of Various Wheel Tread and Rail Head Profiles(Mechanical Systems)

Lateral forces between wheels and rails must be reduced in order that rolling stock runs safely and smoothly on curved tracks. Excessive lateral forces will cause not only derailment of rolling stocks but also destruction of tracks, rail corrugation, track irregularity, squeal noise and wear of wheel and rail. In this paper the authors study 3 methods to reduce lateral forces and improve running performance on curved tracks without development of new wheel profiles and bogies. According to results of numerical simulation, the authors conclude that "expansion of gauge widening" and "increase of tie plate angle of inner rail" or "unsymmetrical grinding of inner rail head" can get sufficient rolling radius difference and are effective for increase of running performance on curved tracks.