The WIDEM project aims to improve efficiency and competitiveness through a fundamental re-examination of wheel set design, which in turn will facilitate improved maintenance practices. Additionally, the project will develop and evaluate alternative NDT (non-destructive testing) techniques that allow a greatly increased detection probability and a size estimation of cracks to set up a schedule for NDT periodicity inspection. The research work will lead to the definition of wheel set design procedures and maintenance methods to be implemented into existing standards.
The project will have to integrate recent developments in areas such as rolling contact fatigue performed in ongoing European research projects.
The integration of measured load spectra with the experimental material data, including fracture failure and inspection considerations, will finalise the key objective of the project: provide a new endurance strength design concept for railway wheel set.