Mapping railway wheel material wear mechanisms and transitions

Abstract: In order to develop more durable wheel materials to cope with the new specifications being imposed on wheel wear, a greater understanding of the wear mechanisms and transitions occurring in wheel steels is needed, particularly at higher load and slip conditions. The aim of this work was to draw together current understanding of the wear mechanisms, regimes, and transitions (particularly with R8T wheel material) and new tests on R7T wheel material; to identify gaps in the knowledge; and to develop new tools for assessing wear of wheel materials, such as wear maps, that can be used to improve wear prediction. Wear assessment of wheel materials, as well as wear rates, regimes, and transitions, is discussed. Twin disc wear testing, used extensively for studying wear of wheel and rail materials, has indicated that three wear regimes exist for wheel materials: mild, severe, and catastrophic. These have been classified in terms of wear rate and features. Wear rates are seen to increase steadily initially and then level off, before increasing rapidly as the severity of the contact conditions is increased. Analysis of the contact conditions in terms of friction and slip has indicated that the levelling off of the wear rate observed at the first wear transition is caused by the change from partial sli