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Wheel/rail interaction- where are we?
11/04/2024 @ 17:00 - 18:30
Dr Mark Burstow, Principal Vehicle Track Dynamics Engineer, Network Rail
Birmingham Section in person meeting
*NEW VENUE* – meeting at 17:00 for a 17:15 start
Synopsis: The talk will cover some of the fundamentals of wheel/rail interaction, vehicle steering and the forces generated in the contact patch; and how this results in wear and fatigue on rails and wheels. Mark will then talk about how this understanding has been used to influence vehicle design and create incentives to reduce the impact of railway vehicles on track, improving asset life.
Presenter: Mark is a specialist in railway vehicle dynamics and computer simulation, wheel/rail interaction, and derailment investigation. His is currently Network Rail’s Principal Vehicle Track Dynamics Engineer with an interest in all aspects of vehicle track interaction and optimisation of the wheel/rail interface. Mark’s background is in fatigue and fracture mechanics: he gained a PhD in computer modelling of fracture mechanics from Sheffield University in 1992. Following this, he worked as a post-doctoral research engineer, investigating crack growth in pressure vessel welds for the nuclear power generation industry before joining the rail industry in 2001. In 2006 he joined Network Rail to work on the rolling contact fatigue (RCF) problem and investigate other wheel/rail interface problems. He has also worked with train operators, vehicle owners and designers to drive suspension modifications and the use of new wheel profiles to reduce the impact of vehicles on track and improve wheel and rail life.
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