ABSTRACT
Tribology is the science of friction, wear, lubrication and contact mechanics. The wheel-rail interface is one of the most complex machine element contacts from a tribological perspective, as it is an open system where contact conditions vary constantly. Third body materials end up in the interface along with applied products to control friction and wear. This chapter gives an overview of the wheel-rail interface contact mechanics, including the size and shape of the contact, levels of contact stress and friction-creep relationships. Damage mechanisms such as wear and rolling contact fatigue, as well as how they interact, are described. Modification of friction is described through top-of-rail friction modifiers to give optimum levels for energy conservation, curve lubrication to reduce wear and traction gels/sand to increase friction where low adhesion due to leaves or ‘wet-rail’ is occurring. Noise emission and the creation and problems surrounding airborne particles are also described. The chapter only gives an introduction to this intensively researched contact, but signposts are included to further sources of information.
