Abstract：Key solid mechanics issues and research progresses relative to reliability and safety in service are reviewed based on investigations of damage modes. The modes five for wheel tread, four for wheel out of tread, five for axle and five for bearing are summarized and the corresponding causes and effects are introduced for railway wheel set. The possible solutions are discussed. And then, the three key issues and progresses are introduced. They are the fatigue reliability analysis covering super long life regime; the smooth surface short fatigue crack behaviour and structural safety assessments; and the matching in materials and morphology of the connectors between wheel tread-track. Multi-principle optimum of the wheel-track contact connector; bearing contact design and analysis considering the geometrical, loading and environmental constraints; and integrated reliability analysis and safety assessment for wheel set are prospected as the valuable fields of the future research for railway vehicle wheel set.
2010, Vol. 31 
