Tread braking – capacity, wear and life (CHARMEC SD11)

Research Project, 2020 – 2025

Tread braking is a low-cost solution for trains for which the braking requirements do not exceed the limits of such brake systems. These limits relate to different aspects such as safety (global wheel failure, winter related loss of braking efficiency), costs (wear of wheels and pads, premature tread failure due to RCF), health (particle emission) or societal aspects (noise emission). These research topics have been investigated in earlier CHARMEC projects, but additional efforts are required to fill gaps in previous results and to expand the research into new fields that have been identified by our industrial partners. Related projects are the previous CHARMEC SD1, SD4, MU21, SD7, SD8, MU32 and the ongoing CHARMEC SD10, see CHARMEC Triennial Reports for Stages 7 and 8.

The aim of the SD11 project is to acquire in-depth knowledge that make clear the limits for commercial applications of tread brakes relating to requirements of today and near-future. The project spans tread braking of freight wagons, metros and commuter trains and has its focus on the sliding wheel and brake block contact and the rolling contact between wheel and rail. The main knowledge gaps that the project will bridge thus relates to tread braking and 1) simulation of global wheel behavior at extreme temperatures, 2) quantification of influence on RCF life, 3) establishment of temperature dependence of tread wear,
4) research into improved brake blocks for winter conditions with optimized material combinations, and finally 5) to extend tread braking wear models to also consider modelling of particle emission.    

This is a doctoral project. Mr Eric Landström is the doctoral student and Docent Tore Vernersson the project leader and supervisor. Professor Roger Lundén is assistant supervisor.