TY  - JOUR
AU  - Van, Dong Doan
AU  - Huu, Phuoc Nguyen
AU  - Dinh, Hieu Vo
AU  - Cong, Tri Tran
PY  - 2026
TI  - A multibody dynamics-based investigation of wheel-rail wear and rolling contact fatigue for high-speed railway applications in Vietnam
JO  - Railway Sciences
SN  - 2755-0907
SP  - 411
EP  - 435
VL  - 5
IS  - 3
AB  - PurposeHigh-speed railway development in Vietnam requires an early assessment of wheel-rail degradation mechanisms. This study investigates wheel wear evolution and rolling contact fatigue (RCF) risk under representative high-speed operating conditions.Design/methodology/approachA numerical framework integrating multibody vehicle dynamics and wear prediction modelling is developed. Vehicle-track interaction is simulated in VI-Rail using a standard ERRI passenger bogie model. Key wheel-rail contact parameters, including normal forces, creepages and contact locations, are extracted and used in an Archard-based wear model to predict wheel profile evolution, while RCF risk is assessed using Hertzian contact stress indicators.FindingsThe results show that wheel wear alters tread geometry, with a maximum wear depth of approximately 0.2–0.4 mm, affecting vehicle dynamics. The critical speed varies non-monotonically, increasing by about 3–5% at early stages and decreasing by 10–15% with further wear. Track irregularities raise creepage to the order of 10?3 and increase wear rate by 20–30%. These effects also indicate an elevated risk of RCF.Originality/valueThe study provides a multibody dynamics-based framework for analysing wheel wear and RCF in prospective Vietnamese high-speed railway applications. The proposed framework also provides a scientific basis for assessing wheel degradation and supporting infrastructure design, operational planning and predictive maintenance in high-speed railway systems.
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1108/RS-03-2026-0021
DO  - 10.1108/RS-03-2026-0021