On the temperature in the wheel-rail rolling contact

The flash temperature in an asperity of the rail due the wheel rail rolling contact is investigated. First the contact configuration and the total heat produced are explained. Then approaches to heat partitioning between the two contacting bodies are discussed. A new heat partitioning factor is derived for the case of frictional heating and heating due to plastic deformation, thereby taking into account the roughness of the contacting surfaces by a contact intensity factor distribution as well as the local pressure intensification by individual asperities. Several roughness distributions are studied. Finally, an explicit calculation is outlined of the asperity flash temperature at the end of the contact, expressed by two temperatures and two factors contributing to the partitioning of heat between the contacting bodies.