Train Running Safety Analysis Against Stochastically Generated Crosswinds

Abstract

This article presents a methodology for assessing the train running safety on bridges subjected to strong crosswinds. The methodology is based on an in-house numerical tool called VSI - Vehicle-Structure Interaction Analysis, which computes the dynamic response of the coupled system formed by the train and the bridge. By imposing the wind load, based on a turbulent wind model, to both the bridge and the vehicle, it is possible to evaluate the wheel-rail contact forces and, consequently, the running safety criteria, namely the Nadal, Prud’homme and unloading indexes. A case study is presented in this paper, which consists of a high-speed (HS) train running over the new Volga River railway bridge belonging to the future Russian HS network. The critical wind speeds for which the train’s safety can be jeopardize are identified for a vast range of running speeds. At the end, the results obtained with the stochastic turbulent model are compared with those obtained using the discrete gust model proposed by the European Norms. A comparative critical analysis between the realistic turbulent wind model and the simplified discrete gust model is carried out.