Metro Wheel Profile Design with Low Flange Wear Based on Multi-objective Optimization

doi:10.3901/JME.2025.08.261

Abstract

Abstract: Proper wheel-rail profile matching can improve wheel flange wear. Based on the investigation of several typical wheel profiles at home and abroad, a datum profile consisting of six arcs is presented. A design method of low flange wear metro wheel is proposed, which is composed of vehicle dynamics model, wheel profile generation module, multi-objective optimization mathematical model, radial basis function surrogate model, and NSGA-II optimization algorithm. Taking the DIN5573 profile as the contrast profile, the optimized profile is verified by wheel-rail static contact characteristics, vehicle dynamic performance and wheel wear evolution. The results show that the optimized profile can give good consideration to both the running stability and curving performance. The nonlinear critical speed of the optimized profile meets the operating requirements, and its ride comfort is basically the same as that of the DIN5573 profile. The curving performance of the optimized wheel profile is better than that of the DIN5573 profile. In addition, the wear evolution performance of the two wheel profiles is compared at 100 000 km mileage. Compared with the DIN5573 profile, the flange thickness loss of the optimized wheel profile decreases by 78.6%, and its flange wear decreases by 61.8%.

Key words: multi-objective optimization, wheel profile design, wheel wear, arc parameter, vehicle dynamics, surrogate model

CLC Number:

U211

CHEN Yuhong, LI Jiaxin, ZHANG Genge, WEN Zefeng, TAO Gongquan. Metro Wheel Profile Design with Low Flange Wear Based on Multi-objective Optimization[J]. Journal of Mechanical Engineering, 2025, 61(8): 261-271.

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