Overhead contact wire wear: a heuristic model for Norwegian conditions

For electric railways, one of the most important aspect to be considered is the interaction between the pantograph and the catenary infrastructure. A phenomenon that cannot be avoided is the wear of the elements that realize the sliding contact between the pantograph and the contact wire. Many studies analysed how this wear evolves, including both the effects of materials (Borgwardt 1989) and operational parameters (Klapas et al. 1988). A model that includes all the components that affect the wear and that depends on these parameters can then be created. In this way, it is possible to estimate the wear under existing or new conditions. In this work, the Norwegian case is taken into consideration, with the creation of a model based on extensive laboratory testing based on the parameters in use on the Norwegian Railway Network.