The impact of wheel wear and track irregularity amplitudes on the operation of high-speed trains

This study proposes a coupled framework integrating wheel wear, track irregularities, and frozen conditions, while incorporating track irregularity amplitudes and ice mass into the analysis. The impact of speed and track irregularity amplitude at different wheel wear stages on comfort is evaluated using a comfort index. The study found that as the track irregularity amplitude increases, the standard wheel profile becomes more sensitive to such changes than the worn wheel profile. To assess safety, we analyzed the effect of track irregularity amplitude and curve radius on wheel lateral forces and wheelset lateral displacement. We found that curves with a radius of 400 m are hazardous curves. The study demonstrates that the track irregularity amplitude coefficient continuously decreases as wheel wear increases, correlating with a higher risk of derailment. Under frozen condition, the wheel profile at 50,000 km demonstrates the best overall vehicle performance. However, when track irregularity amplitudes reach the range of −3 to 3 mm, vehicle safety indicators exceed the permissible critical thresholds. This method provides theoretical guidance for wheel optimization and rail grinding to enhance the service life of railway components.