Research of the stress-strain state and durability of freight wagon trolley springs by the method of finite element modeling in ANSYS

This paper presents a study of the stress-strain state and the prediction of the cyclic durability of a set of trolley springs for freight wagons using the finite element modeling (FEM) method in the ANSYS software package. The aim of the study is to evaluate the influence of materials (steel 55Si2 and 60Si2CrVA) on the performance characteristics of springs under static and dynamic loads corresponding to loaded and empty conditions of the wagon. To achieve this goal, parametric 3D models of springs have been created, finite element models have been developed, and strength and fatigue calculations have been performed. The distributions of equivalent stresses and deformations are analyzed, fatigue durability is predicted, and safety margin coefficients are determined. The results obtained make it possible to evaluate the reliability and durability of springs made of various materials in real-world operating conditions, as well as identify critical stress concentration zones.