Numerical investigation of the aerodynamic characteristics of a train subjected to different ground conditions

Abstract

Due to the rapid development of high-speed railways and the increasing speed of trains, the aerodynamic phenomenon caused by moving trains could be affected. Therefore, the scaled model test has been widely used to simulate the aerodynamic performance of the stationary train in wind tunnel. However, it is difficult to disregard the influence of the ground effect on the aerodynamic performance of trains. In this study, the delayed detached eddy simulation based on the shear stress transport κ–ω turbulence model is used to investigate the aerodynamic performance of trains on three ground conditions (stationary floor + stationary ballast, stationary ground + stationary ballast, and stationary ballast). The numerical method used in this paper is verified by a wind tunnel test. The way the three ground conditions influence the flow field around the train is also analyzed. The results show that the ground condition affects the thickness of the ballast boundary layers without a train, thickness of the train boundary layers, train drag, distribution of pressure and velocity along the train, and the size of the wake region; however, the ground condition had a little effect on the flow structures around the train tail. These findings can help in designing the wind tunnel experiment.