COMPUTER SIMULATION OF STEADY STATE CURVING PERFORMANCE OF HIGH SPEED ARTICULATED TRAIN SETS

Abstract

This study focuses on the steady state curving performance of articulated High Speed Rail (HSR) train sets. The models incorporate the essential features of an articulated train system such as shared trucks, and suspension characteristics such as car-to-car and car-to-truck connections. As one of the first studies on the curving performance of articulated HSR train sets, linearized steady state curving models for ten-car, five-car, and three-car consists have been developed. Steady state curving performance of the three models has been evaluated and compared to determine the minimum number of cars required in a consist for effective simulation of curving performance. The models are further used for parametric study to examine the influence of selected parameters on the steady state curving performance. The results are compared with those of a parallel study on lateral stability performance in view of stability-curving trade-off. The results show that a baseline articulated train set corresponding to lateral stability critical speed of 310 km/h is capable of negotiating a standard curved track with 0.43 degree curvature, maximum 4 degree unbalance and 12.5 mm flange clearance without wheel flanging or slip. The parametric study showed that the trade off between stability and curving is less extensive than it is known for a conventional railway vehicle. It is found that there is no conflict for wheel conicity less than 0.035 where both curving and stability performance improves with increase in wheel conicity.