In terms of the durability of carbon steel railway wheels, tread thermal cracking, one of the severe damages on tread surface, was investigated to understand the dominating factors. Based on the temperature conditions estimated by metallurgical investigation and numerical analysis, residual stress state during tread braking and after cooling was calculated. On the basis of the configuration of the cracks, we have focused on the wheel/rail tangential traction force as a source of the external force imposed on all circumferences of the wheel tread. A series of full-scale testing were carried out to clarify the influence of residual stress and tangential force on tread thermal cracking. Wheel/rail tangential force and circumferential tensile residual stress, rat her than normal wheel/rail contact force, largely affect tread thermal cracking.
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