Long freight trains & long-term rail surface damage – a systems perspective

In this work, the authors present a detailed train-track interaction model of long freight train operation to predict long-term rail surface damage. addition vehicles and track, intermediate maintenance actions in form cyclic grinding passes have also been modelled according European standards realistically represent evolving wheel-rail interface. The influence longitudinal dynamics inter-vehicle interactions, traction, braking, gradients, etc is included method reflect their effect on damage evolution. demonstrate that novel ‘Train-track interaction’ formulation more complete therefore better suited study as opposed existing ‘vehicle-track’ formulations since former brings system at play, significantly altering interaction. A key highlight work expressed profiles over large tonnage passing by depicting RCF-affected zones. This framework can be tuned into digital twin guide infrastructure managers regarding condition function passage. turn facilitate predictive track depending traffic operation.