Optimization for the Following Operation of a High-Speed Train Under the Moving Block System

Abstract

Efficient and safe following operation of a high-speed train (HST) under the moving block system (MBS) has been the trend for high-speed railway (HSR) transportation. However, due to the complex operating environment and changeable operation state of HST during the following operation process, it becomes inapplicable for conventional train control approaches to satisfy HST’s multi-objective operation demand including safety, punctuality, energy efficiency, and ride comfort. To resolve this problem, in this paper, practical models for the real-world characteristics of HSR’s line parameters and HST’s following control, as well as the multi-objective optimization model with some novel metrics, are established for achieving the optimal following control of HST under MBS. Besides, the multi-objective particle swarm optimization algorithm is modified with the preference information of control sensitivity and energy efficiency, so as to efficiently obtain the optimal following control strategy based on the real-time data of HST like velocity, location, and speed restriction. Furthermore, the convergence performance of our proposed method is demonstrated by comparative tests which also help select the proper algorithm parameters. Finally, the efficiency and feasibility of the proposed framework are illustrated by showing some experimental results.