1. Wheel-rail contact
When a rail vehicle is stationary, the contact area between the wheel and the rail is defined by the shape of the upper part of the rail – the head –, the profile of the wheel and the elasticity of the materials in contact, deformed by the weight of the vehicle.
1.1 Rail head and wheel profile
There are many different wheel profiles and rail types, depending on the history of rail development, the country or the type of rail link: freight trains or high-speed lines.
The profiles most commonly used in France are defined by French standards: NF A 45-317 for the Vignole type 60 kg/m rail and NF F 01-115 for the standard wheel running profile for normal track (cf. ). Both are shown in figure
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Wheel-rail contact
Wheel-rail adhesion
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