Abstract：In order to investigate the effect of wheel web shape and contact position on the sound radiation characteristic of the railway wheel, a hybrid FEM-BEM vibro-acoustic model is developed. A 3D solid finite element model (FEM) is developed. In the FEM model, the eigenfrequencies and mode shapes of the wheel are calculated by using a “Block Landzos” method. The frequency responses of the wheel due to a normal unite force excitation are determined using modal superposition method. The dynamic response is used as velocity boundary condition in acoustic boundary element model (BEM) for noise radiation analysis. In the numerical simulation, three types of web shapes (s-type, straight-type, and corrugated-type) and three contact positions (flange contact, nominal contact, and field side contact) are considered. The numerical results indicate that the web shape and contact position have a significant effect on the sound radiation of the wheel. Moreover, the sound radiations from different web shapes of wheels are different for the same contact position. The investigation can help optimize design of low-noise railway wheel. The theory and the algorithm of the artificial neural network are applied in the research of the technique and the composition, the gross mass fraction of element, the thickness of surface alloying layer as well as the absorption rate is built. The calculation results are in good agreement with the experimental results.
2009, Vol. 28 
