Wheel profile design for target conicity and wide tread wear spreading

This article deals with design of new wheel tread profile. An interrelationship between the equivalent conicity, contact angle and location of contact area in nominal position, the contact stress and lateral contact spreading is explained and illustrated on examples of measured worn wheel profiles. This relationship has been considered in the proposed method for profile design applied to create new profiles with target conicity and at the same time wide contact spreading. The proposed profiles are suited for vehicles running on straight tracks and/or high power traction vehicles.

Research highlights▶ Wheel profile for vehicles running mainly on straight tracks or with large traction forces. ▶ Two new methods for development of a new design wheel profile. ▶ Wheel profile design by stretching of proven wheel profile. ▶ Wheel profile design based on specified contact distribution.