Scientific paper ID 4 : 2003/1

rezyme: There are results given in the article that confirm the high intensity of wear of wheel flange. These results have been obtained in the last years and the objects of the analysis have been the new types of carriages in the rolling stock of BDZ. This causes for intensive wear have been analyzed as a general treatment and for the conditions in BDZ, mentioned above. The conclusion reached in the analysis is that the angle between the tangent of rail and the wheel in the contact point is the main factor causing the intensive wear of wheel flanges, because it determines the guide force in the wheel flange, the kinematic-geometrical conditions in the contact zone (they determine the energy dissipated because of the friction and wear) and the contact zone of wheel (it determines the parameters of the wear). The given theoretical results are confirmed by the organized experimental researches showing a decrease of the intensity of wear (5-10 mm) as u result of decreasing the angle between the tangent of rail and the wheel in the contact point at the expense of self-guiding of the wheels.