Dynamic optimization of the rail-crown geometry in the rigid frog area by controlling the position of the wheel-load transition

Abstract

To improve the stability of a train and reduce its influence on the nose rail when passing a rigid frog, the optimization of the rail-crown geometry in the rigid frog area is proposed in this study by controlling the transition range of the wheel load on the nose-rail head and evaluating it by a wheel–rail dynamic coupling model. The method was verified by studying a Chinese CN60-350-1:12 turnout. Results show that if the wing-rail heightening and nose-rail reduction are small, then the transition section of the wheel load on the nose rail may be close to or smaller than the minimum load-bearing cross section, which will cause damage to the weaker section of the front of the nose rail due to excessive load. If the wing-rail heightening and nose-rail reduction are large, the wheel-load transition section of the nose rail may exceed the extreme transition cross section, which will cause the wheel to hit the nose-rail head or make it difficult to climb the wing rail when the wheel passes through the rigid frog. During the optimization process of the rail-crown geometry in the rigid frog, the reasonable transition range of the nose-rail head can be determined by adjusting the wing-rail heightening and nose-rail reduction, and combined with the wheel–rail dynamics evaluation method, the optimal scheme can be selected to protect the nose rail and improve the running stability of the train.

Keywords

Rigid frog wing-rail heightening nose-rail reduction wheel–rail dynamic response optimization method

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