ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: In most rail vehicle dynamics simulation packages, creep forces are estimated by means of Kalker’s FASTSIM algorithm. While 5%–25% error is expected for force estimation the errors of shear stress distribution, needed for wheel/rail damage analysis, may rise above 30%. This is mainly due to the use of parabolic traction bound in FASTSIM. Thus, a novel algorithm called FaStrip is proposed as an alternative to FASTSIM. It is based on the strip theory in which elliptic traction bound is used. The comparison between the two algorithms, evaluated by CONTACT, shows that using FaStrip improves the accuracy of the estimated shear stress distribution while the creep force estimation in all studied cases is significantly improved as well. In one case, for instance, the error in force estimation reduces from 18% to less than 2%. Since FaStrip is as fast as FASTSIM, it can be an alternative for tangential solution of the wheel-rail contact in simulation packages.
