WHEELOOR

Railway wheels can wear unevenly and gradually lose their round shape. At an early stage, wheel out-of-roundness can be difficult to detect. As the defect worsens, it increases noise and vibration and accelerates wear on both trains and tracks. In WHEELOOR project, we will study how these defects develop in Nordic conditions and how they could be detected and prevented earlier.

The project combines measurement data collected from trains and trackside systems with physics-based models. The aim is to develop solutions that help maintenance teams respond to defects before they cause more serious damage. The solutions will be tested on Finnish trains in commercial service. The results could reduce maintenance costs and improve the reliability, safety, and resilience of rail transport in demanding northern conditions.