Dynamic derailment behaviour of urban tram subjected to lateral collision

Abstract

ABSTRACT The urban tram is theoretically likely to be laterally collided by the automobile during operation due to their shared right of roadway. The collision occurrence is fortuitous, but the consequence is commonly disastrous induced by the collision and subsequent derailment accidents. This article presents an investigation into the derailment performance of the tram when the automobile impacts laterally onto the tram flank. A comprehensive dynamic model to simulate derailment behaviours of the tram under this collision scenario is built, in which the complicated contact relation of wheel/rail system is treated. The contribution of several affecting factorsto the derailment response is reported. It is shown that the guardrails of the grooved rail track play a key role in preventing the tram derailments due to low-speed collision. The violent lateral and rolling motions of the tram body caused by the great lateral impact is the root cause of the derailments.