<b>Method for Evaluating Train Safety in Case of Strong Winds</b>

Abstract

This paper proposes a method for evaluating train running safety in strong wind conditions using the probabilities of strong wind occurrence according to wind direction. The Weibull coefficients cd and kd for 16 wind directions were calculated on the basis of data from 10-min maximum instantaneous wind velocities for each wind direction at 772 Automated Meteorological Data Acquisition System (AMeDAS) stations. Probabilities Px of the occurrence of strong winds exceeding the critical wind speeds for overturning were estimated for a train in a virtual railway section by using cd and kd calculated on the basis of the wind data observed at a windy AMeDAS station. Px values were found to vary from 6.2×10-6 to 8.6×10-5 depending on the angle between the traveling direction of the train and each wind direction. The values of Px ranged from 1.4% to 20% of the Py values, which were calculated out of consideration of strong wind occurrence according to wind direction.