Abstract
In this study, the dynamic response of a vehicle with flexible car body moving on a ballasted track is investigated. The vehicle/track interaction model is divided into two sub-systems, namely the vehicle and the ballasted track sub-system. The vehicle sub-system is composed by one flexible car body, two bogies and four wheel sets. The car body is created using flexible multibody dynamics. The ballasted track consists of rail, sleeper, ballast and sub-grade. For its representation the simplified 2D discrete support model (DSM) is used and modelled by finite elements. The connection between the two sub-systems, i.e. between the moving wheels and the track is ensured by a linearized Hertzian spring. The dynamic response of the vehicle/track system is computed by the Newmark-β integration method. The effect of the car body flexibility on the dynamic response of this system is analyzed and evaluated based on the maximum car center acceleration. It is concluded that the increase in flexural stiffness of the car body can lead to a notable decrease of its maximum acceleration.
Highlights
The riding comfort of rail vehicles attracts significant attention of the academy and industry [1, 2]
Nguyen et al [3] compared the dynamic response of the coupled vehicle-track system simplified by 2D finite element model and modelled by full 3D multibody/finite-element model and concluded that the 2D model can be used to predict the vertical dynamic response with sufficient accuracy
The typical ballasted track is modelled as discrete support model (DSM), i.e. as two-layer lumped mechanical model connected on top by Euler-Bernoulli beam representing the rail
Summary
The riding comfort of rail vehicles attracts significant attention of the academy and industry [1, 2]. When the rail vehicle moves on a track structure, its vibrations are affected by both, the vehicle condition and the track condition. Varandas et al [5] developed a 3D FEM dynamic program for the coupled train-track interaction analysis and studied the culvert influence on the train-track responses. In [3, 5] and other similar works, the components of the vehicle model are regarded as rigid, and the flexible vibration of the car body is neglected. The dynamic response of a vehicle with flexible car body moving on a typical ballasted track is investigated. The vehicle is developed using rigid-flexible coupling dynamics and the track is simplified by DSM and modeled using finite elements. The dynamic response of the vehicle and ballasted track is compared in situations in which the car body is assumed as flexible and as rigid. The influence of flexural stiffness on the car body acceleration is investigated
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