Sensitivity analysis: Main parameters causing wear and rolling contact fatigue in wheel-rail contact

The assessment of sensitivities for rolling contact fatigue and wear under operational conditions faces the problem of dependent and not measurable system parameters. By applying a recently developed damage model, embedded in an simulation environment for operational conditions, the sensitivity of different parameters on wheel-rail contact level and vehicle-track level is studied. At wheel-rail contact level eight parameters are varied amongst them are the creepages, normal load and contact patch size. At vehicle-track level the coefficient of friction is varied. In both investigations the influence on wear and damage is studied. The results do not only help to gain a better understanding, but they can also be used to minimise wear and RCF in operation.