International Scientific Journals
of Scientific Technical Union of Mechanical Engineering "Industry 4.0"

The effect of inclusions and corrosion products on the mechanism of wear of railway wheels made of R7 steel and also of rails made of R7 steel M76. was studied. The research was carried out by several methods: metallographic, electron microscopy, X-ray, micro-X-ray spectral analysis. The features of the formation of wear particles near nonmetallic inclusions and corrosion products related to structural changes near the treads of railway wheels and rails as well as to the interaction of steel with the surrounding atmosphere during operation were investigated. The influence of various factors on the role of nonmetallic inclusions and corrosion products in the formation of wear particles is shown, which makes it possible to predict the nature of wear of the rolling surface of railway wheels and rails under various operating conditions. The main sources and the mutual influence of various factors on the formation of wear particles near nonmetallic inclusions and corrosion products have been established, which makes it possible to predict the nature of wear of the rolling surface of railway wheels and rails under various operating conditions.

Causes of wear particles formation on railway wheels tread were investigated. Structural factors connecting with plastic deformation, formation of “white layer”, and also with non-metallic inclusions and corrosive products of wheel steel, defining wear of railway wheels tread during operation were fixed. Repeating heat-mechanical action on railway wheel tread by interaction between wheel and rail promotes incandescence of stresses and defects (microcracks, separations) that promote wear particles formation having different shape, source and mechanism of nucleation. Results of analysis of microcracks, spalles and wear particles and also of mechanisms of their formation was shown that wear of railway wheel tread is very composite phenomenon. It passes by few mechanisms (fatigue, adsorbtional, corrosive, under friction) and is multifactors process.