Stress Analysis Of Outside Turnout Locking Device On Railway

In this paper a finite element model with several couples of contact surfaces is established to calculate the stress of outside turnout locking device on railway. The effects caused by the deformation of different rails on the stress field in the locking hooks are analyzed by Marc software. The model contains nose rail, wing rail, locking hooks and all relative components. The crossties are simplified as elastic foundations. Thus, the model reveals the real working state of the locking hooks.Three different load conditions are presented in the paper: horizontal wheel/rail forces, vertical wheel/rail forces and the composition of them. The calculations take no account of the acceleration. A group of calculated results is obtained when the train goes ahead a distance steps. Thus, the results in a period are obtained. In addition, the local stress analysis and the shape optimization of locking hooks are done.The calculated results presented in this paper show that: horizontal wheel/rail force is the main causing stress in the second and third traction locking hooks and the maximum stress in locking hooks linear increases with the horizontal wheel/rail force. Vertical wheel/rail force is the main load causing stress in the first traction locking hook and the maximum stress in locking hooks linear increases with the vertical wheel/rail force, but horizontal wheel/rail force can reduce the stress in the first traction locking hooks. There are two stress concentration zones in the locking hooks. On the surface of the hook contacting with the nose rail there are significant contact compressive stress and in the inner side of the hook swerve, stretch stresses. The stress fields in locking hooks is changed periodically when the train is passing, so the fatigue design criteria are used to check the stress. At present, the locking hook is strong enough. The shape optimization of locking hooks is presented by means of stress analysis for six models in the paper.