Numerical investigation of snow accumulation on a high-speed train by snow saltation

Abstract

ABSTRACT Snow accumulation on the undercarriage of a train is an important issue that significantly degrades the safety and performance of the vehicle. This phenomenon is primarily attributed to snow saltation induced by train-generated wind gusts. This study numerically investigated the snow accumulation on a train by modelling the snow saltation for the initial movement of drifting snow from the ground. A semi-empirical snow saltation model was applied to the boundary condition for a snow-covered ground, and Eulerian governing equations were solved for snow phase flow. Using the present method, a high-speed train model comprising multiple cars and a single-car model were simulated. The results presented the novel trend of snow accumulation, which gradually increased towards the rear of the train but remained relatively constant after a third car.