A wheel profile wear simulation tool has been used to predict the wheel profile development due to wear of the Swedish high-speed train X2000 running on the railway line Stockholm-Göteborg. The methodology used in this study is based on a load collective concept, where the load collective determines a set of dynamic time-domain simulations depending on what the wheels are likely to encounter when travelling on this specific railway line. Different curves, track irregularities, rail profiles and coefficient of friction define the operational conditions of the vehicles.

In the load collective the railway line is primarily discretisized based on the curve radius distribution. The largest part of the track is straight track (65%). Parametric studies have been performed for optimisation of the load collective, regarding the simulation time.

The vehicle-track simulations are performed with the MBS (Multi-Body-System) tool GENSYS and the wheel-rail contact mechanics is modelled according to the Hertzian theory in combination with the simplified theory by Kalker (FASTSIM).

Since the shape of the wheel profiles affect the wheel-rail contact mechanics and the vehicle’s behaviour, the wheel profiles get updated after each wear step. A wear step is defined as one loop in the main programme and corresponds to a maximum wear depth on the wheel profiles or to a maximum simulated running distance. The maximum wear depth in each wear step has been set to 0.1 mm and the maximum running distance has been set to 1500 km.

Archard’s wear model has been used for modelling the wear. The wear coefficients used in this model have been determined by laboratory measurements by others. However, all measurements have been performed under dry conditions, which means that for some track parts the wear coefficients have to be compensated in some way in order to represent lubricated conditions. It is determined that on this line narrow curves with a curve radius under 700 m are man-made lubricated which will lower the wear coefficients. Also natural lubrication (weather etc.) will lower the wear coefficients. These compensating factors used in this study were obtained by others.

Wear due to disc braking has been estimated by using a factor that increases wear for straight track running. Only trailer wheels have been included, so traction has not been a part of this study. 

The tool has been verified by comparing scalar measures and equivalent conicity of the simulated profiles with measured wheel profiles on several intermediate cars of the X2000 trains running on the railway line Stockholm-Göteborg. Wheel profile measurements were performed from 1991 till 1995.

Several simulations have been performed with good results, compared to measured wheel profiles.