Wheel rolling contact fatigue (RCF) and rim defects investigation to further knowledge of RCF causation and to determine control measures (T672)

This two-phase project aimed to produce a comprehensive handbook of metallurgical information on the various types of wheel steels that are currently in use or have been used in the global rail industry that could be considered for application on the British railway network. The second phase investigated the development of wheel rolling contact fatigue (RCF) and rim volumetric defects to understand the effects of metallurgy, design, and manufacturing processes on crack propagation rates.