Train Wheel

The train wheel is made of steel primarily to reduce rolling friction. The wheels on the train ride on a tiny contact patch, the contact area between each wheel and the track is about the size of a penny.

GTO were asked to develop the design of the wheel and disc brake assembly for prescribed braking and dead weight (mechanical) loads.


The acceptance criteria were:

For thermal loads the wheel should have a life greater than 1E6 miles based on the brakes being applied to stop every 3.86 miles.

For mechanical lateral loads applied at the wheel rim should have a life greater than 1E5 cycles.

For mechanical vertical loads applied at the contact patch, the wheel should have a life greater than 1E6 cycles.
GTO developed an axisymmetric model of the wheel, disk brake support, brake pads and axle within ANSYS. The model was used to predict thermal stresses that were subsequently used to predict fatigue life.

A solid model of the wheel was used to predict stresses due to mechanical loading. These stresses were again used to predict fatigue life of the wheel.

GTO successfully developed and verified the design of the train wheel.