The Features of Steel Plastic Flow on the Rolling Surface of Railway Wheels under Operation

The features of steel plastic flow on the rolling surface of railroad wheels during their long-term operation are considered. A nonuniform character of strain developing on the rolling surface and in the surface layer of wagon and locomotive railway wheels is established. The features of gradient microstructure and mesostructure formation near rolling surface exhibited by a substantial evolution (degradation) thereof are studied. From the standpoint of plastic deformation mesomechanics, it is shown that steel flow occurring in the rim surface layer under operation does not provide any conservation of preset operating properties, as well as promotes wear and fatigue failure of the rolling surface.