An experimental analysis of the aerodynamic characteristics of a high-speed train on a bridge under crosswinds

Abstract

The aerodynamic characteristics of a train on a bridge under crosswinds are studied by using a wind tunnel. The tests performed measure the aerodynamic forces associated with the model train running inside a truss bridge for different incoming wind velocities, wind angles, and train speeds. For a deeper analysis of the shielding effect of the truss bridge on the train body under crosswinds, a dynamic mesh method is adopted to establish a three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics model. Then the pressure distribution on the surface of the train was analyzed. The results show that the aerodynamic coefficients of the train measured with an equivalent static train model are different to those measured with the dynamic train model. Due to the shielding effect of the truss bridge, the relationships between the aerodynamic coefficients and the yaw angle change with different incoming wind velocities and wind angles. The impact of the train speed on the aerodynamic characteristics is mainly related to changes in the train-induced wind. It leads to the relationship curves between the aerodynamic coefficients and the yaw angle obtained by adjusting the train speed are very different to those by changing the incoming wind velocity and wind angle.