An investigation of the influence of rail chill on crack growth in a railway wheel due to braking loads

This paper provides a method for addressing thermal fatigue crack growth in railway wheels, allowing for rail chill effects under block braking. A 3D non-linear finite element model has been used to evaluate the thermal stress allowing for rail chill and for its influence on the crack growth in a rail wheel. Both stop and drag braking are examined. The results reveal that the effect of rail chill on crack growth is greater for drag braking than it is for stop braking.

► Addressing thermal fatigue crack growth in rail wheels allowing for rail chill effects.
► A 3D non-linear finite element model has been used to evaluate the thermal stress.
► An approach that utilises the stress field obtained from the uncracked FE model to obtain the stress intensity factors.
► This method is ideal for use on fatigue life prediction of rolling stock structures.