Simulations and field measurements of long-term rail profile wear in curves

Paper in proceeding, 2025

In this study, long-term rail wear is simulated for a given traffic scenario, and the results are validated using field data. The field data captures the material removal due to wear and grinding. The simulations combine dynamic multibody simulations using a semi-Hertzian contact model and Archard-based wear modeling. To improve prediction accuracy, a sensitivity study is performed to extend the distribution of contact conditions and a calibration of the wear map. The computational efficiency is improved by using surrogate objective functions to optimize the wear coefficients of each regime. The resulting simulated profile changes agree well with the field measurements.