Keywords: wheel–rail contact, flange lubrication, friction modelling, digital twin, railway curves, numerical simulation, tribology, adhesion management.

This paper presents a simulation-based investigation of train passages through flange lubrication points positioned before curved track sections, aimed at predicting the evolution of friction conditions in the wheel-rail interface for digital twin application. Flange lubrication is commonly used to reduce wear, noise, and energy consumption in curves, but its effectiveness depends on complex processes including lubricant transfer and gradual consumption. The proposed approach combines simplified modelling of contact forces and creepage with experimentally derived relationships describing lubricant retention, redistribution, and the dependence of friction on lubricant quantity. A numerical algorithm simulates how lubricant applied at discrete locations is carried by successive wheelsets, spread along the track, and depleted by frictional work. The model enables estimation of changes in the coefficient of friction along track. The results demonstrate the capability to capture key trends in lubricant propagation and decay, providing a basis for optimizing lubrication point placement and dosing strategies and supporting future development of predictive maintenance and adhesion management tools. Beyond standalone analysis, the proposed model is formulated with integration into a digital twin of the wheel-rail interface in mind.

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