Tensile testing of high-speed rail wheels using tiny specimens

Abstract High-speed rail wheels are critical components responsible for load-carrying, guiding, and transferring traction and braking forces, impacting the safety, stability, and reliability of trains. Among the mechanical properties of high-speed rail wheels, tensile properties influence both heat treatment and overall performance evaluation. This study investigated the tensile properties of the rim and spoke of high-speed rail wheels using both conventional and tiny specimens. Additionally, tensile tests were conducted on tiny specimens sampled along the axial and circumferential directions of the wheel rim to assess the distribution of tensile properties. The tensile properties of tiny specimens of the spoke closely aligned with those of conventional specimens. However, the results obtained using tiny and conventional specimens of the wheel rim, although similar, showed greater variability. The tensile properties of the wheel rim exhibited a gradient distribution, with the highest tensile strength near the tread side and the lowest near the spoke side. The plasticity parameters showed minimal variation along both the axial and circumferential directions of the rim. This study provides valuable insights for optimizing the production process of high-speed rail wheels, ultimately enhancing their overall quality. The findings are significant for improving technical support in the manufacturing of high-speed rail wheels.