Optimization and validation of a finite element methodology for thermo-structural analysis of polyhuretane wheels for roller coaster application

Polymeric materials are widely used in several engineering sectors. Among these, a particularly critical sector for this type of material is that of roller coasters. The wheels are indeed made with an aluminum hub and a compact polyurethane coating, which, being in contact with the track, is subject to high speeds dynamic loads. Due to the viscoelastic behavior typical of these materials, such loads induce overheating of the coating and therefore a rapid degradation of the wheel. This results in machine downtime and, consequently, significant waste of time and money. In this context, the authors have developed a methodology for finite element thermo-structural analysis capable of quickly evaluating the temperature reached during work cycles and proving very useful in selecting the type of wheels to use. In this work, this methodology was firstly computationally developed and then validated by comparing the analysis results with data obtained from experimental tests conducted by the manifacturer. The comparison demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed method, highlighting, however, a constant error in terms of maximum temperature reached attributable to a non-exact material characterization.