Justification for Choosing Alloying and Micro-Alloying Elements to Improve the Mechanical Properties of Railway Wheels

At the level of interatomic interaction in steel for railway wheels, the element-by-element effect of the chemical composition on the physical and mechanical properties has been studied and predictive models have been developed for professional assessment. The choice of an effective combination of alloying elements-hardeners depends on the specified requirements for the micro-structural state, physical and mechanical properties, as well as on the operating conditions in the agreed segment of performance figures of steels and special alloys. The chemical composition and heat treatment modes of wheels have been developed to achieve the level of requirements for mechanical properties for class D wheels according to AAR M-107/M-208.