This paper surveys advances in the understanding and modelling of wheel–rail creep forces. The main focus is placed on tribological aspects, for which significant progress was made in the past two decades. We emphasise the role played by the surface conditions, i.e. the presence of liquid and solid layers, surface roughness, and near-surface plastic deformation. As these surface conditions may change over time, transient changes may be obtained in the creep force characteristic. This brings feedback into the picture, with consequences and opportunities for optimised adhesion recovery, traction control, and braking systems.

中文翻译：

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理解和建模轮轨蠕变力的挑战和进展

本文调查了对轮轨蠕变力的理解和建模方面的进展。主要重点放在摩擦学方面，在过去二十年中取得了重大进展。我们强调表面条件所起的作用，即液体和固体层的存在、表面粗糙度和近表面塑性变形。由于这些表面条件可能会随时间变化，因此蠕变力特性可能会发生瞬态变化。这带来了反馈，为优化附着力恢复、牵引力控制和制动系统带来了后果和机会。