Lateral Load Effect on Railway Tapered Roller Bearing Performance

Lateral forces are a critical factor in railroad tapered roller bearing performance. To improve the reliability and safety of railway systems, vibration and thermal signatures can be powerful diagnostic and prognostic tools for monitoring railway bearing health. While temperature variations can signal spall deterioration, they often become evident only after extensive damage. Therefore, understanding the effects of lateral loading on railroad tapered-roller bearings, including vibration and temperature behavior, under varying train speeds and loads is crucial. Unfortunately, there is limited publicly available research in this area. Motivated by this area of opportunity, researchers at the University Transportation Center for Railway Safety (UTCRS) developed a dynamic bearing test rig to investigate the effects of lateral loading on bearing performance. The proposed study focuses on Association of American Railroads (AAR) class F and K bearings, widely used in freight rail service. A hydraulic cylinder setup will apply lateral loads up to 44.5 kN (10 kips), mimicking forces experienced during hunting, track irregularities, and curves. Healthy, reconditioned, and spalled bearings will be used for the experiments. The proposed study will offer a unique contribution by exploring how lateral loads affect bearing vibration (in addition to temperature), providing insights into factors influencing bearing performance in the rail industry. The aim is to improve the long-term reliability and safety of rail systems by understanding how to mitigate performance-compromising issues. It is expected that, based on the findings of this study, the team will optimize onboard vibration, temperature, and load measurement sensors for more accurate and reliable monitoring of bearing condition.

Language

  • English

Project

  • Status: Active
  • Funding: $105568
  • Contract Numbers:

    69A3552348340

  • Sponsor Organizations:

    Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

    University Transportation Centers Program
    Department of Transportation
    Washington, DC  United States  20590

    University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

    1201 W. University Dr
    Edinburg, TX  United States  78539
  • Managing Organizations:

    University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

    1201 W. University Dr
    Edinburg, TX  United States  78539
  • Project Managers:

    Stearns, Amy

  • Performing Organizations:

    University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

    1201 W. University Dr
    Edinburg, TX  United States  78539
  • Principal Investigators:

    Fuentes, Arturo

    Tarawneh, Constantine

  • Start Date: 20240601
  • Expected Completion Date: 20250531
  • Actual Completion Date: 0
  • USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers Program

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01924854
  • Record Type: Research project
  • Source Agency: University Transportation Center for Railway Safety
  • Contract Numbers: 69A3552348340
  • Files: UTC, RIP
  • Created Date: Jul 22 2024 8:17AM