SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING A WHEEL-RAIL ADHESION VALUE FOR A RAILWAY VEHICLE

A system for determining a wheel-rail adhesion value for a railway vehicle including at least one axle to which two wheels having a radius are coupled is provided. The system includes a deformation detection circuit coupled to an axle arranged to detect a torsional deformation of the axle due to a longitudinal adhesion force transferred from the axle to the rail, and a controller arranged to estimate a torque value as a function of the torsional deformation detected to convert the estimated torque value into the longitudinal adhesion force value as a function of the radius of the wheels, and to calculate the wheel-rail adhesion value through the ratio between the longitudinal adhesion force value and a normal load value that the axle exerts on the rail. A method for determining a wheel-rail adhesion value for a railway vehicle is also provided.