Influence of Nonlinear Wheel/Rail Contact Geometry on Stability of Rail Vehicles

Nonlinear behavior caused by wheel flanges, worn wheel treads, and dry friction can have an important effect on rail-vehicle stability. In this paper the influence of such nonlinearities on the stability of rail freight vehicles is investigated using quasi-linearization techniques. Nonlinear equations of motion are presented that describe the lateral behavior of a 9-degree-of-freedom representation of a complete freight car with three-piece trucks. The nonlinear wheel/rail geometric constraint functions for the rolling radii, angle of wheel/rail contact, and wheelset roll angle are found by a numerical technique. The suspension description includes dry friction where appropriate. The hunting stability of the freight car is studied by employing describing-function techniques. Results are presented for a typical freight car with three different wheel profiles. The stability results illustrate the dependence of behavior on the amplitudes of vehicle motions. Application of the results in realistic situations and suggestions for future quasi-linear studies are discussed.