Understanding of Rail Wheel Fatigue

The fatigue problem of rail road wheel which is often referred as rolling contact fatigue is caused by repeated contact stress during the rolling motion. This rolling contact fatigue of rail wheel may cause severe damage to rail wheel, rail, train suspension and sometimes derailment of train. Proper prediction of rail wheel fatigue life and incorporation of appropriate measures to avoid rail wheel are very important issue to be addressed. the proper understanding of underlined mechanism of rolling contact fatigue requires detailed knowledge of interaction of wheel and rail.