Efficient models and techniques for the computational analysis of railway vehicles in crosswinds

Abstract

Nowadays, crosswind stability is a key topic for the homologation of railway vehicles and thus it is a pivotal boundary condition in their design process. In most countries, the safety proof is based on the numerical multibody simulation of the driving behaviour of the vehicle assuming a worst case wind scenario. The conservativeness of this approach is aggravated by the uncertainties in the parameters of the simulation models. In this work, some possible improvement of the safety proof are discussed mainly concerning the computational model of the vehicle. An alternative approach based on reliability techniques is then presented and discussed, leading to a more efficient assessment of the risk, and thus to a reduction of the safety factors.