A wear prediction model is built to research the wear of the curved switch rail in a high-speed turnout. The Archard wear model is used in the wear prediction model to analyze the profile evolution law. The non-Hertzian contact Kik–Piotrowski method based on virtual penetration is used as the contact algorithm for the Archard wear model. A dynamic model of the vehicle–curved switch rail system based on the predicted profiles of the curved switch rail and the measured wheel profiles with different stages is established. The effect of the wheel and curved switch rail profiles’ wear on vehicle dynamic performance is analyzed. The results show that the wheel completely transitions from the stock rail to the curved switch rail between 35 and 50 mm head widths. As the head width of the curved switch rail increased, the position of the maximum wear depth gradually moved to the gauge shoulder. When the total passing weight of the train is 50 Mt, the 20 mm head width curved switch rail side wear reaches a maximum of 5.3 mm. The position in which the wheel transitions from the stock rail to the curved switch rail will be further away from the tip of the curved switch rail due to wheel–rail wear. Regarding the derailment coefficient, the wheel–rail vertical force and lateral force are both significantly impacted. However, they have little effect on the vertical and lateral acceleration of the vehicle. The wear of the wheels and rails has a higher impact on vehicle driving safety and a lower impact on vehicle driving stability.

The changes of the friction coefficient between wheel and rail affect the wheel‐rail adhesion characteristics of high‐speed trains. The adhesion state in the wheel‐rail contact area could be distinguished by the maximum friction coefficient between wheel and rail. The wheel‐rail adhesion is of great significance for high‐speed train traction. In order to study the influence of water, oil, fallen leaves, quartz sand, or their mixtures on the maximum friction coefficient between high‐speed wheel and rail, a wheel‐rail contact test bed is built to carry out the wheel‐rail contact test and wheel‐rail friction contact test. The comparative analysis of the test results shows that the axle load has little influence on the maximum friction coefficient between wheel and rail. Water, oil, and fallen leaves would reduce the maximum friction coefficient. Quartz sand could increase the maximum friction coefficient in a short time, while the excessive static friction coefficient would damage the wheel and rail. Besides, the maximum friction coefficient of water, oil, and fallen leaves mixing in pairs is lower than each of them existing alone. Both water and oil could increase the adhesion of quartz sand, and the effect of water is better. Therefore, when the sand still could not meet enough traction, it could be considered to add some water to increase the wheel‐rail adhesion.

Purpose: The increasing demands of high-speed railway transportation aggravate the wheel and rail surface wear. It is of great significance to repair the worn wheel timely by predicting the wheel and rail surface wear, which will improve both the service life of the wheel and rail and the safe operation of the train. The purpose of this study is to propose a new prediction method of wheel tread wear, which can provide some reference for selecting proper re-profiling period of wheel. Design/methodology/approach: The standard and worn wheel profiles were first matched with the standard 60N rail profile, and then the wheel/rail finite element models (FEMs) were established for elastic-plastic contact calculation. A calculation method of the friction work was proposed based on contact analysis. Afterwards, a simplified method for calculating wheel tread wear was presented and the wear with different running mileages was predicted. Findings: The wheel tread wear increased the relative displacement and friction of contact spots. There was obvious fluctuation in the wheel tread friction work curve of the worn model. The wear patterns predicted in the present study were in accordance with the actual situation, especially in the worn model. Originality/value: In summary, the simplified method based on FEM presented in this paper could effectively calculate wheel tread wear and predict the wear patterns. It would provide valuable clews for the wheel repair work.

Wheel wear is unavoidable, which affects the contact performance of the wheel and rail. This article explores the effects of wheel profile wear on the static contact and dynamic interaction between wheel and standard fixed frog in heavy haul railway. The coupling dynamic models of the vehicle-fixed frog system are established to calculate the change regulation of displacement, contact force, and acceleration when a vehicle passes through the standard fixed frog at a speed of 50 km/h in the facing move in the diverging line. Besides, the finite element models of wheel and standard fixed frog at key positions are developed to simulate the contact patch and distribution of von Mises stress in the regions of the wheel-fixed frog. Compared with the standard profile, the maximum lateral displacement of the worn profile can be reduced by up to 9 mm. The vertical contact force can be reduced from 750 kN to 320 kN, and the decrease is 57.3%. The von Mises stress could decrease up to 34% compared with the standard. And the results show that the wheel profile wear changes the positions of the wheel-rail contact points along the longitudinal direction and affects the dynamic interaction of vehicle and standard fixed frog. For the measured worn wheel profiles in this article, profile wear relieves the dynamic responses and it is good for the nose rail.

In order to study the derailment process and dynamic performance-changing rules of vehicles on a curved track, a method of calculating critical derailment speed is proposed, which is the progressive trial method. In terms of their theoretical basis and calculation results, compared with the two traditional methods (root locus method and limit cycle method) for calculating linear and nonlinear critical speed, the advantages of this method in studying derailment are proved, and its applicable conditions are explained. Taking CRH3 as an example, the critical derailment speed on different radius curves is calculated by the progressive trial method. At the critical derailment speed, the variation laws of wheel lifting, wheel–rail attack angle and dynamic index are analyzed. The discrete elastic contact analysis is used to observe the changes in the wheel–rail contact position and contact spot during derailment. The results show that with the increase in the curve radius and critical speed of derailment, the absolute values of lateral force, vertical forces and derailment coefficient increase at the same position of the line; when the impact angle between the front wheel of the front bogie and the rail increases to more than 0.06 rad, the train is in a critical derailment state.

Based on the elastic–plastic contact theory, elastic–plastic contact finite element models for the integrated modular house by flat pack are established. The structural stress and displacement distributions are obtained. An experimental test is conducted to study the performance of the corner fitting joint of the house. The finite element analysis and experimental test comprehensively demonstrated the safety and reliability of the house structure. The results show that the most unfavorable stress point of the house is located at the corner fitting joint. When the end plate connection holes of the corner column seal are designed with through holes and internal screw holes, respectively, the fastening effect of bolting between the corner fitting and corner column using the internal screw hole is better. The reliability of the repeated disassembly and assembly of the house is verified via multiple loading–unloading simulation cycle experiments of the corner fitting joint. The results of the study provide technical support and a reference basis for the optimal design and ensuring the service performance of the integrated modular house by flat pack.