Bainitic steel grade for solid wheels: metallurgical, mechanical, and in-service testing
Journal article, 2009

Bainitic steel grades generally have superior rolling contact and thermal fatigue resistances, but poorer wear characteristics when compared with ‘conventional’ pearlitic steel wheels. To improve the wear characteristics, the manufacturing process of bainitic materials needs to be carefully controlled. In this article, the manufacturing process of the ‘MICRALOS’ bainitic steel grade has been described. The main focus is on metallurgical testing activities performed in order to compare the new steel grade with standard pearlitic steels and to predict the service behaviour of the solid bainitic wheels. Further, on-going field tests on the iron ore line between Luleå and Narvik have been reported, with details about measurement methods and results. The performance of the wheels is reviewed and compared with the current scientific knowledge of bainitic steel grades and the deterioration of heavy haul wheels. Finally, benefits of and challenges for bainitic wheels in general and for the MICRALOS grade wheels in particular will be discussed.

mechanical characteristics

metallurgy

rolling contact fatigue

bainitic steel

wear

railway wheel

Author

Andrea Gianni

Andrea Ghidini

Tord Karlsson

LKAB

Anders Ekberg

Chalmers, Applied Mechanics, Material and Computational Mechanics

Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part F: Journal of Rail and Rapid Transit

0954-4097 (ISSN) 20413017 (eISSN)

Vol. 223 2 163-171

Subject Categories

Applied Mechanics

Vehicle Engineering

DOI

10.1243/09544097JRRT217

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Latest update

9/6/2018 1