Influence of height of earth embankment type windbreak wall on flow field characteristics and catenary wind-induced displacement

Abstract

This paper aims at ensuring the safety of catenary operation, by considering the flow field characteristics of the specific railway terrain and the wind-induced dispalcement of the catanery contact wires. Combining fluid and structure analyses, the improved delayed detached eddy simulation (IDDES) method based on the κ-ω turbulence model was used to explore the flow field characteristics at the position of the contact wire area before and after the windbreak wall was increased. The finite element analysis method was used to study the wind-induced displacement, and the relationship between the raising height, the wind speed, and the displacement was comprehensively analyzed. The simulation results were verified by field tests. The results showed that after the rasising height was increased by 1 m, the horizontal wind speeds at the contact wire positions above two railway lines were reduced by 94.26% and 95.60%, respectively. With the decrease in the horizontal wind speed, the value of the wind-induced displacement in lateral direction was significantly reduced as well. Moreover, the response of the wind speed on the midpoint was more sensitive than that at the hanging point.