Modelling of temperature and strain rate dependent behaviour of pearlitic steel in block braked railway wheels

Abstract Block braked railway wheels are subjected to thermal and rolling contact loading. The loading results in high temperatures stresses which cause slow time dependent processes such as creep, relaxation static recovery of the wheel material. At same time, implies a very fast mechanical load application. This paper is focused on material modeling pearlitic steel for wide range rates at elevated temperatures. starting point viscoplasticity model including nonlinear isotropic kinematic hardening. Delobelle overstress function employed capture strain rate response also includes hardening slower viscous (diffusion dominated) behaviour Experiments ER7 terms cyclic strain-controlled uniaxial tests with hold-time, ratchetting rapid cycles biaxial tension/compression torsion used calibrate model. These experiments were performed under isothermal conditions different In tests, higher obtained these have been concluded numerical example block where importance accounting modelling highlighted.