Tribological Behavior of Wheel-Rail Interfaces on Plateau Railways: Current Research Status and Challenges

As a result, the wheel-rail interface on plateau railways is subjected to multi-factor coupled, dynamically evolving, and highly nonlinear tribological processes. This significantly aggravates wheel and rail wear, accelerates rolling contact fatigue and surface damage, increases maintenance frequency and life-cycle costs, and poses potential risks to operational safety and reliability. To systematically review the current research progress and address the outstanding scientific and engineering challenges in this field, this paper establishes a comprehensive analytical framework centered on environmental factors, the bidirectional coupling relationship between adhesion and damage, and the regulatory feedback mechanisms associated with interface friction management.

The review is organized around four key aspects. First, it comprehensively analyzes the influence of low temperature, rainfall, ice, snow, windblown sand, ambient humidity, and complex track conditions, including long steep gradients and small-radius curves) on wheel-rail adhesion behavior. It is noted that existing experimental and numerical studies are still predominantly based on single-factor conditions or small-scale laboratory simulations. Second, the paper discusses the types and evolution mechanisms of wheel-rail interface damage under complex plateau environments, including abrasive and adhesive wear, rolling contact fatigue, spalling, and surface cracking. The interactions among mechanical load, environmental conditions, material microstructure, and surface integrity are elucidated to clarify the dominant damage mechanisms under different service scenarios. Third, friction management technologies applicable to plateau railways are reviewed, including sanding, friction modifiers, and emerging adaptive control strategies.