WHAT CAUSES WHEEL TREAD DEFECTS? PART 1: SHELLING

Studies were made of wheels that shelled in service after being subjected to the usual on-tread braking as well as a wheel equipped with disc-type brakes. These studies have indicated that shelling is essentially a fatigue failure that is caused by rolling loads. The formation of structurally weakened metal as the result of the heat of braking friction is believed to accelerate the formation of shelling cracks. Macroscopic examinations of radial-tangential sections from shelled areas have indicated that shelling is caused by cracks that form at angles of 30 to 50 deg to the tread surface. Because shelling cracks are oriented at 30 to 50 deg to the tread surface they are assumed to be caused by high shear stresses developed by rolling loads.

• Corporate Authors:

  Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation

  P.O. Box 350
  Bristol, CT  United States  06010
• Authors:
  • Wandrisco, J M
  • Dewez Jr, F J
• Publication Date: 1960-7

Media Info

• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: p. 30-32
• Serial:
  • Railway Locomotives and Cars
  • Publisher: Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Cracking; Defects; Dynamic loads; Failure; Fatigue (Physiological condition); Residual stress; Shear properties; Shelling (Metals); Stresses; Technology; Thermal degradation; Wear; Wheel rims; Wheels
• Geographic Terms: United States
• Old TRIS Terms: Shelling; Shelling (Wheels); Thermal cracks; Thermal cracks (Wheels); Wheel defects; Wheel failure
• Subject Areas: Railroads; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00040800
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 8 1994 12:00AM