Wheel tread damage – a numerical study of railway wheel tread plasticity under thermomechanical loading

A numerical study is presented where the impact of simultaneous thermal and mechanical loading on a railway wheel tread as imposed by braking and rolling contact is reported. A comparison is made of 2D and 3D finite element simulations of the thermomechanical problem featuring a material model that accounts for thermal expansion and plastic deformations. It is found that 2D simulations give unrealistic predictions of plastic deformations. The 3D simulations demonstrate a significant influence of the thermal loading on the induced tensile stresses also in cases of rather moderate temperature increases