Wheel-rail dynamic interaction in high-speed railway systems: a comprehensive review of stability, safety and wear evolution

Purpose The wheel–rail (WR) dynamic interaction is fundamental to ensuring the stability, safety, and long-term performance of high-speed railway (HSR) systems. When operating speeds exceed 300 km/h, the vehicle-track system experiences pronounced nonlinear contact phenomena, transient dynamic effects, and continuous variations in WR interface conditions, directly affecting hunting stability, derailment risk, wear progression, and maintenance requirements. Design/methodology/approach The theoretical foundations, numerical modelling approaches, and experimental techniques related to WR dynamic interaction under high-speed conditions are systematically presented. Major WR contact theories are examined, including the Hertzian normal contact model and tangential contact formulations based on Kalker's theory together with modern nonlinear approaches. These methods are compared in terms of accuracy, capability to represent contact behaviour, and computational efficiency. Furthermore, the integration of vehicle-track dynamic models and long-term wear evolution models is analysed in order to clarify the relationship between geometric degradation and the dynamic stability of the system. Findings Key safety assessment criteria are discussed in the context of high-speed operation. The comparative analysis highlights the respective strengths and limitations of existing contact modelling approaches and emphasises the importance of coupling dynamic simulation with wear evolution for accurately evaluating vehicle stability and safety. Originality/value Emerging research trends, including digital twins, artificial intelligence, and multiphysics modelling, are reviewed to identify potential directions for future investigations. The review provides a comprehensive overview of current WR dynamic interaction research and offers a valuable reference for advancing the stability, safety, and maintenance strategies of future HSR systems.