Investigation of the fundamental knowledge to railway grinding by ways analyzing grinding tools and processes in correlation with operational behavior of track

• Applicant: Professor Dr.-Ing. Eckart Uhlmann
• Subject Area: Metal-Cutting and Abrasive Manufacturing Engineering
• Term: from 2017 to 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 295440341

By way of rail grinding, defective material layers can be removed from track surfaces and the required dimension and size accuracies can be achieved. Currently, despite wide industrial implementation, there is a lack of technological knowledge concerning the interactions between grinding tools, process parameters and results, as well as their influence on the tribological properties and further operational behavior of the track. Hence fundamental knowledge about rail grinding has to be generated and the interactions between this repair technology and the expectable operational behavior and life time of the track have to be qualified. For the scientific analysis of rail grinding cooperation between the IWF and the MMI is intended, since broad competences in the two fields, manufacturing technology (IWF) and friction mechanics, (MMI) are needed. The international cooperation is further motivated by the current high demand for interoperable infrastructure solutions in railway maintenance. The project approach as well as preliminary work was carried out within the activities for preparation of the international cooperation, being funded by DFG (UH 100/173-1).The research project divides into two funding periods with the duration of each two years. Within the first funding period the influence of the grinding process and environmental conditions at generated track sub-surface and life time has to be qualified, which will be carried out by ways of grinding and tribological tests. Furthermore, models of rail grinding and the tribological behavior of rail will be developed. The rail grinding model particularly regards the heat development during the process with the influence on the sub-surface structure of rail. The model of the tribological behavior of rail will characterize a time-discrete material fatigue for different friction scenarios of wheel/rail contact. During the second funding period the scientific knowledge concerning rail grinding has to be systematically enlarged. The influence of the grinding tool and bogie specification on the results of rail grinding and the operational behavior of rail will be analyzed. The influencing factors on the rail/wheel system will be widely classified and their influence on the results of grinding as well as on the operational life time of rail will be qualified. Finally, the newly generated knowledge will be implemented into the models of the rail grinding and the tribological behavior of rail. Project documentation and model verification will also be carried out.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Ukraine
• International Co-Applicant: Professor Dr.-Ing. Mykola Bobyr