Finite Element Analysis of Residual Stresses in Railroad Car Wheel

It is very important to investigate residual stresses distribution in a railroad car wheel as it determines the performance and safety of the train. Compressive residual stresses are induced intentionally during manufacturing of a railroad car wheel surface to prevent the formation and growth of cracks in the wheel. After the wheel is put into service, it experiences external loading: contact loads from the interaction of the wheel with running rail, and thermal loads imposed by friction between the wheel and the brake shoe during braking. In this book, the residual stresses distribution due to the manufacturing process and the effects of service conditions on the wheel are investigated using finite element method. The FEA solution demonstrates the distribution of compressive hoop stress in the wheel rim during the manufacturing process. Results also indicate that contact stress acting alone causes increased net rim hoop compression. However, thermal stress caused by brake shoe applied on the wheel greatly reverses the residual hoop compressive stress in the wheel.