Analysis of the generation mechanism and evolution of the wheel high-order polygonal wear of subway trains

•The strong correlation between the initial wheel high-order polygonal wear of subway trains and the small-radius (i.e., a radius no greater than 400 m) curve track was explained.•The formation mechanism and progression pattern of the wheel high-order polygonal wear were studied via modal analysis and transient dynamic analysis.•The finite element modeling method of ideal wheel polygonal wear and rail corrugation was proposed and verified.•The influence of rail corrugation on the evolution of wheel high-order polygonal wear was analyzed via dynamic simulation.