Investigation the effect of some train and track parameters on the wheel-railinteraction on curved track

Rolling phenomena in wheel/rail contact can be substantially more intricate than those on thestraight track. This study provides valuable insights into designing railway tracks for safe andefficient rail transportation by examining the effects of train speed, railpad parameters, andballast characteristics on wheel/rail contact forces and rail vertical displacement using a ۳-Dfinite element model by employing ANZR۱ wheel and UIC۶۰ rail profiles. The results indicatethat increasing velocity results in an increase in the wheel/rail impact forces but does not havea significant effect on rail vertical displacement. It is also observed that the railpad and ballaststiffness are the most crucial elements of the track and have a direct impact on the wheel/railcontact force and the vertical displacement of the rail. Increasing the stiffness of the railpadand ballast led to a rise in contact force and a significant reduction in vertical rail displacement.Additionally, the contact force slightly increased with an increase in ballast and railpaddamping.