A new solution method for wheel/rail rolling contact

To solve the problem of wheel/rail rolling contact of nonlinear steady-state curving, a three-dimensional transient finite element (FE) model is developed by the explicit software ANSYS/LS-DYNA. To improve the solving speed and efficiency, an explicit–explicit order solution method is put forward based on analysis of the features of implicit and explicit algorithm. The solution method was first applied to calculate the pre-loading of wheel/rail rolling contact with explicit algorithm, and then the results became the initial conditions in solving the dynamic process of wheel/rail rolling contact with explicit algorithm as well. Simultaneously, the common implicit–explicit order solution method is used to solve the FE model. Results show that the explicit–explicit order solution method has faster operation speed and higher efficiency than the implicit–explicit order solution method while the solution accuracy is almost the same. Hence, the explicit–explicit order solution method is more suitable for the wheel/rail rolling contact model with large scale and high nonlinearity.