Keywords: freight wagon, simulation, friction damping, running behaviour, track damage, wear, rolling contact fatigue, track access charges.

Freight vehicles have high maintenance costs arising from damage to the wheels. Also, infrastructure managers in different countries in Europe are introducing track access charges for vehicle operators, which depend on the damage that vehicles might cause on the rails and track. Freight vehicles that are track friendly will be less costly to operate; not only because of the reduced maintenance costs of their running gear, but also as a result of the lower circulation fee. This paper gives an overview on freight vehicle modelling and simulation with special focus on wheel/track damage calculation, from the experience of the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH). The modelling of the most common dry friction suspension elements is explained, as well as the challenges on how to simulate and validate them, mainly related to nonlinearities and non-smooth behaviours. Possibilities to use simulation results to predict wheel and track damage like wear, rolling contact fatigue, and track settlement are introduced. Specific study cases are shown as practical examples, showing that it is possible to develop simulation models that give relevant results, even though it is more difficult than for passenger vehicles. The results, however, might be sensitive to small changes in the input parameters; therefore, a sensitivity analysis should always be included in the validation phase of a model.

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