Analysis of the Impact of Frog Wear on the Wheel–Rail Dynamic Performance in Turnout Zones of Urban Rail Transit Lines

To investigate how severe wear at No. 12 turnout frogs in an urban rail transit line operating at speeds over 120 km/h on the dynamic performance of the vehicle, a vehicle–frog coupled dynamic model was established by employing the 2021 version of SIMPACK software. Profiles of No. 12 alloy steel fro...

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Main Authors: Yanlei Li, Dongliang Zeng, Xiuqi Wei, Xiaoyu Hu, Kaiyun Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Lubricants
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4442/13/7/317
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author Yanlei Li
Dongliang Zeng
Xiuqi Wei
Xiaoyu Hu
Kaiyun Wang
author_facet Yanlei Li
Dongliang Zeng
Xiuqi Wei
Xiaoyu Hu
Kaiyun Wang
author_sort Yanlei Li
collection DOAJ
description To investigate how severe wear at No. 12 turnout frogs in an urban rail transit line operating at speeds over 120 km/h on the dynamic performance of the vehicle, a vehicle–frog coupled dynamic model was established by employing the 2021 version of SIMPACK software. Profiles of No. 12 alloy steel frogs and metro wheel rims were measured to simulate wheel–rail interactions as the vehicle traverses the turnout, using both brand-new and worn frog conditions. The experimental results indicate that increased service life deepens frog wear, raises equivalent conicity, and intensifies wheel–rail forces. When a vehicle passes through the frog serviced for over 17 months at the speed of 120 km/h, the maximum derailment coefficient, lateral acceleration of the car body, and lateral and vertical wheel–rail forces increased by 0.14, 0.17 m/s<sup>2</sup>, 9.52 kN, and 105.76 kN, respectively. The maximum contact patch area grew by 35.73%, while peak contact pressure rose by 236 MPa. To prevent dynamic indicators from exceeding safety thresholds and ensure train operational safety, it is recommended that the frog maintenance cycle be limited to 12 to 16 months.
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institution Kabale University
issn 2075-4442
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher MDPI AG
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series Lubricants
spelling doaj-art-b33990a2528a4f3bae8e4f1655a822b22025-08-20T03:58:27ZengMDPI AGLubricants2075-44422025-07-0113731710.3390/lubricants13070317Analysis of the Impact of Frog Wear on the Wheel–Rail Dynamic Performance in Turnout Zones of Urban Rail Transit LinesYanlei Li0Dongliang Zeng1Xiuqi Wei2Xiaoyu Hu3Kaiyun Wang4State Key Laboratory of Rail Transit Vehicle System, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Rail Transit Vehicle System, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Rail Transit Vehicle System, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Rail Transit Vehicle System, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Rail Transit Vehicle System, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, ChinaTo investigate how severe wear at No. 12 turnout frogs in an urban rail transit line operating at speeds over 120 km/h on the dynamic performance of the vehicle, a vehicle–frog coupled dynamic model was established by employing the 2021 version of SIMPACK software. Profiles of No. 12 alloy steel frogs and metro wheel rims were measured to simulate wheel–rail interactions as the vehicle traverses the turnout, using both brand-new and worn frog conditions. The experimental results indicate that increased service life deepens frog wear, raises equivalent conicity, and intensifies wheel–rail forces. When a vehicle passes through the frog serviced for over 17 months at the speed of 120 km/h, the maximum derailment coefficient, lateral acceleration of the car body, and lateral and vertical wheel–rail forces increased by 0.14, 0.17 m/s<sup>2</sup>, 9.52 kN, and 105.76 kN, respectively. The maximum contact patch area grew by 35.73%, while peak contact pressure rose by 236 MPa. To prevent dynamic indicators from exceeding safety thresholds and ensure train operational safety, it is recommended that the frog maintenance cycle be limited to 12 to 16 months.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4442/13/7/317urban rail transitturnoutfrog abrasiondynamicswheel–rail relationship
spellingShingle Yanlei Li
Dongliang Zeng
Xiuqi Wei
Xiaoyu Hu
Kaiyun Wang
Analysis of the Impact of Frog Wear on the Wheel–Rail Dynamic Performance in Turnout Zones of Urban Rail Transit Lines
Lubricants
urban rail transit
turnout
frog abrasion
dynamics
wheel–rail relationship
title Analysis of the Impact of Frog Wear on the Wheel–Rail Dynamic Performance in Turnout Zones of Urban Rail Transit Lines
title_full Analysis of the Impact of Frog Wear on the Wheel–Rail Dynamic Performance in Turnout Zones of Urban Rail Transit Lines
title_fullStr Analysis of the Impact of Frog Wear on the Wheel–Rail Dynamic Performance in Turnout Zones of Urban Rail Transit Lines
title_full_unstemmed Analysis of the Impact of Frog Wear on the Wheel–Rail Dynamic Performance in Turnout Zones of Urban Rail Transit Lines
title_short Analysis of the Impact of Frog Wear on the Wheel–Rail Dynamic Performance in Turnout Zones of Urban Rail Transit Lines
title_sort analysis of the impact of frog wear on the wheel rail dynamic performance in turnout zones of urban rail transit lines
topic urban rail transit
turnout
frog abrasion
dynamics
wheel–rail relationship
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4442/13/7/317
work_keys_str_mv AT yanleili analysisoftheimpactoffrogwearonthewheelraildynamicperformanceinturnoutzonesofurbanrailtransitlines
AT dongliangzeng analysisoftheimpactoffrogwearonthewheelraildynamicperformanceinturnoutzonesofurbanrailtransitlines
AT xiuqiwei analysisoftheimpactoffrogwearonthewheelraildynamicperformanceinturnoutzonesofurbanrailtransitlines
AT xiaoyuhu analysisoftheimpactoffrogwearonthewheelraildynamicperformanceinturnoutzonesofurbanrailtransitlines
AT kaiyunwang analysisoftheimpactoffrogwearonthewheelraildynamicperformanceinturnoutzonesofurbanrailtransitlines