Increasing realism in modelling energy losses in railway vehicles and their impact to energy-efficient train control

The reduction of energy consumption is an increasingly important topic of the railway system.Energy-efficient train control(EETC)is one solution,which refers to mathematically computing when to accelerate,which cruising speed to hold,how long one should coast over a suitable space,and when to brake.Most approaches in literature and industry greatly simplify a lot of nonlinear effects,such that they ignore mostly the losses due to energy conversion in traction components and auxiliaries.To fill this research gap,a series of increasingly detailed nonlinear losses is described and modelled.We categorize an increasing detail in this representation as four levels.We study the impact of those levels of detail on the energy optimal speed trajectory.To do this,a standard approach based on dynamic programming is used,given constraints on total travel time.This evaluation of multiple test cases highlights the influence of the dynamic losses and the power consumption of auxiliary components on railway trajectories,also compared to multiple benchmarks.The results show how the losses can make up 50%of the total energy consumption for an exemplary trip.Ignoring them would though result in consistent but limited errors in the optimal trajectory.Overall,more complex trajectories can result in less energy consumption when including the complexity of nonlinear losses than when a simpler model is considered.Those effects are stronger when the trajectory includes many acceleration and braking phases.

Object-Oriented Modeling of the Variation of Acceleration and Deceleration Characteristics in Relation to Speed Bands for Railway Vehicles

Automated operation and artificial intelligence technology have become essential for ensuring the safety, efficiency, and punctuality of railways, with applications such as ATO (Automatic Train Operation). In this study, the authors propose a method to efficiently simulate the kinematic characteristics of railroad vehicles depending on their speed zone. They utilized the function overloading function supported by a programming language and applied the fourth-order Lunge-Kutta method for dynamic simulation. By constructing an object model, the authors calculated vehicle characteristics and TPS and compared them with actual values, verifying that the developed model represents the real-life vehicle characteristics accurately. The study highlights potential improvements in automated driving and energy consumption optimization in the railway industry.

Dynamics and Fault Diagnosis of Railway Vehicle Gearboxes:A Review

The railway vehicle gearbox is an important part of the railway vehicle traction transmission system which ensures the smooth running of railway vehicles.However,as the running speed of railway vehicles continues to increase,the railway vehicle gearbox is exposed to a more demanding operating environment.Under both internal and external excitations,the gearbox is prone to faults such as fatigue cracks,and broken teeth.It is crucial to detect these faults before they result in severe failures and accidents.Therefore,understanding the dynamics and fault diagnosis of railway vehicle gearbox is needed.At present,there is a lack of systematic review of railway vehicle gearbox dynamics and fault diagnosis.So,this paper systematically summarizes the research progress on railway vehicle gearbox dynamics and fault diagnosis.To this end,this paper first summarizes the latest research progress on the dynamics of railway vehicle gearboxes.The dynamics and vibration characteristics of the gearbox are summarized under internal and external excitations,as well as faulty conditions.Then,the stateof-the-art signal processing and artificial intelligence methods for fault diagnosis of railway vehicle gearboxes are reviewed.In the end,future research prospects are given.

Recent research development of energy-absorption structure and application for railway vehicles

As the application of energy-absorption structure reaches an unprecedented scale in both academia and industry, a reflection upon the state-of-the-art developments in the crashworthiness design and structural optimization, becomes vital for successfully shaping the future energy-absorption structure. Physical impacting test and numerical simulation are the main methods to study the crashworthiness of railway vehicles at present. The end collision deformation area of the train can generally be divided into two kinds of structural design forms: integral absorbing structure design form and specific energy absorbing structure design form, and different energy-absorption structures introduced in this article can be equipped on different railway vehicles, so as to meet the balance of crashworthiness and economy. In pursuit of improving the capacity of energy dissipation in energy-absorption structures, studies are increasingly investigating multistage energy absorption systems, searching breakthrough when the energy dissipation capacity of the energy-absorption structure reaches its limit. In order to minimize injuries, a self-protective posture for occupants is also studied. Despite the abundance of energy-absorption structure research methods to-date, the problems of analysis and prediction during impact are still scarce, which is constituting one of many key challenges for the future.

RESEARCH PROGRESS ON STRUCTURAL FATIGUE RELIABILITY DESIGN AND ANALYSIS METHODS OF CHINESE RAILWAY VEHICLES

A state-of-art review is given to the new advances on fatigue reliability design and analysis methods of Chinese railway vehicle＇s structures. First, the structures are subject to a complicated random fatigue stressing history and this history should be determined by combining dynamic simulation and on-line inspection. Second, the random fatigue constitutions belong to an intrinsic fatigue phenomenon and a probabilistic model is developed to well describe them with two measurements of survival probability and confidence, similar model is also presented for the random stress-life rela- tions and extrapolated appropriately into Song fatigue life regime. Third, concept of the fatigue limit should be understood as the fatigue strength at a given fatigue life and a so-called local Basquin model method is proposed for measuring the random strengths. In addition, drawing and application methods of the Goodman-Smith diagram for integrally characterizing the random fatigue strengths are established in terms of ten kilometers. Fourth, a reliability stress-based method is constructed with a consideration of the random constitutive relations. These new advances form a new frame work for railway fatigue reliability design and analysis.

Method for secondary spring load equalization of railway vehicles with two-stage spring suspension: Modeling and optimal regulation

To ensure running safety,the secondary spring loads of railway vehicles must be well equalized.Due to the coupling interactive effects of these hyper static suspended structures,the equalization adjustment through shimming procedure is quite complex.Therefore,an effective and reliable method in application is developed in this paper.Firstly,the best regulation of spring load is solved based on a mechanical model of the secondary suspension system,providing a target for actual adjustment.To reveal the relationship between secondary spring load distribution and shim quantity sequence,a forecasting model is constructed and then modified experimentally with consideration of car body’s elastic deformation.Further,a gradient-based algorithm with a momentum operation is proposed for the load optimization.Effectiveness of the whole method has been verified on a test rig.It is experimentally confirmed that this research provides an important basis for achieving an optimal regulation of spring load distribution for multiple types of railway vehicles.

Application and development in railway vehicles trend of new welding technologies manufacturing industry

This paper introduces the application of new automatic welding technologies in railway vehicles manufacturing industry, and presents the state of art of advanced friction stir welding technology, semi-penetration laser welding technology and laser-arc hybrid welding technology in manufacturing aluminum alloy body shell, stainless steel body shell and bogie. This paper also analyzes the application and development trend of three welding technologies in the future.

A novel anti-slip control approach for railway vehicles with traction based on adhesion estimation with swarm intelligence

Anti-slip control systems are essential for railway vehicle systems with traction.In order to propose an effective anti-slip control system,adhesion information between wheel and rail can be useful.However,direct measurement or observation of adhesion condition for a railway vehicle in operation is quite demanding.Therefore,a proportional–integral controller,which operates simultaneously with a recently proposed swarm intelligencebased adhesion estimation algorithm,is proposed in this study.This approach provides determination of the adhesion optimum on the adhesion-slip curve so that a reference slip value for the controller can be determined according to the adhesion conditions between wheel and rail.To validate the methodology,a tram wheel test stand with an independently rotating wheel,which is a model of some low floor trams produced in Czechia,is considered.Results reveal that this new approach is more effective than a conventional controller without adhesion condition estimation.

Stochastic dynamic simulation of railway vehicles collision using data-driven modelling approach

Using stochastic dynamic simulation for railway vehicle collision still faces many challenges,such as high modelling complexity and time-consuming.To address the challenges,we introduce a novel data-driven stochastic process modelling(DSPM)approach into dynamic simulation of the railway vehicle collision.This DSPM approach consists of two steps:(i)process description,four kinds of kernels are used to describe the uncertainty inherent in collision processes;(ii)solving,stochastic variational inferences and mini-batch algorithms can then be used to accelerate computations of stochastic processes.By applying DSPM,Gaussian process regression(GPR)and finite element(FE)methods to two collision scenarios(i.e.lead car colliding with a rigid wall,and the lead car colliding with another lead car),we are able to achieve a comprehensive analysis.The comparison between the DSPM approach and the FE method revealed that the DSPM approach is capable of calculating the corresponding confidence interval,simultaneously improving the overall computational efficiency.Comparing the DSPM approach with the GPR method indicates that the DSPM approach has the ability to accurately describe the dynamic response under unknown conditions.Overall,this research demonstrates the feasibility and usability of the proposed DSPM approach for stochastic dynamics simulation of the railway vehicle collision.

A Study on an Airgap Control System in a Rotary-Small-Scaled Linear Induction Motor for Railway Vehicles

In general, it is important to operate the; airgap length uniformly for improving the system efficiency independent of the flatness of the reaction plate in a railway propulsion system by a linear induction motor （LIM）. And it is possible to operate the LIM propulsion system efficiently without a change of the LIM capacity through the airgap length control on the sloped rail. So, in this research, the authors introduce an airgap control system to control the airgap length which depends on the flatness of the secondary reaction plate when the LIM is operated, and design a rotary small-scaled LIM and its airgap control system before manufacturing the real system. Then, the authors analyze some characteristics of the LIM （thrust and normal force, input current, efficiency and power factor）, and through the LIM control modeling, the authors finally analyze an effect of the airgap-length control of the LIM by the airgap control system.

Analysis of Fresh Air Volume of Air-conditioning System for Railway Vehicles

The relevant standard requirements both in domestic and abroad provide the basis for designing air-conditioning system of railway vehicles present. However, there are great differences in the fresh air volume indicators among different standards requirements, and the requirements of each vehicle procurement contracts are also different. The design of air-conditioning become difficult above these. In this paper, the fresh air volume of different type railway vehicles is analyzed from health and equipment electricity consumption according to the railway vehicles air-conditioning system standard requirements in domestic and abroad. Some advises for designing air-conditioning system of railway vehicles through the fresh air volume calculation and comparison for domestic air-conditioning system of railway vehicles was provided.

A strategy for lightweight designing of a railway vehicle car body including composite material and dynamic structural optimization

Rolling stock manufacturers are finding structural solutions to reduce power required by the vehicles,and the lightweight design of the car body represents a possible solution.Optimization processes and innovative materials can be combined in order to achieve this goal.In this framework,we propose the redesign and optimization process of the car body roof for a light rail vehicle,introducing a sandwich structure.Bonded joint was used as a fastening system.The project was carried out on a single car of a modern tram platform.This preliminary numerical work was developed in two main steps:redesign of the car body structure and optimization of the innovated system.Objective of the process was the mass reduction of the whole metallic structure,while the constraint condition was imposed on the first frequency of vibration of the system.The effect of introducing a sandwich panel within the roof assembly was evaluated,focusing on the mechanical and dynamic performances of the whole car body.A mass saving of 63%on the optimized components was achieved,corresponding to a 7.6%if compared to the complete car body shell.In addition,a positive increasing of 17.7%on the first frequency of vibration was observed.Encouraging results have been achieved in terms of weight reduction and mechanical behaviour of the innovated car body.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF VIRTUAL PROTOTYPE OF RUNNING GEARS FOR RAILWAY VEHICLE

Virtual prototype is an important idea to resolve design problems of railway vehicle. A different development method, which is based on national product and autonomous development, and would like to reflect the specialty of railway vehicle development in China, is presented. According to the developing process of railway vehicle, the research contents and developing method are pointed out. The integration between CAD and performance analysis software on dynamics and strength is mainly considered. In CAD environment, the properties for dynamics computing are extracted directly from the model and exported with model. This method can avoid data losing caused by model rebuilding in CAE software, and increase the direct dependence of product CAD. Then the vehicle model with properties will be used for real-time dynamics and kinematics analysis and simulation. Therefore, the strength of the parts can be analyzed. The results of dynamics and strength analysis will be fed back to optimize the design model. All operations are dispatched by a control platform, and all data are managed according to the principle of PDM. Testing results show this method is correct.

Polygonisation of railway wheels:a critical review

Polygonisation is a common nonuniform wear phenomenon occurring in railway vehicle wheels and has a severe impact on the vehicle–track system,ride comfort,and lineside residents.This paper first summarizes periodic defects of the wheels,including wheel polygonisation and wheel corrugation,occurring in railways worldwide.Thereafter,the effects of wheel polygonisation on the wheel–rail interaction,noise and vibration,and fatigue failure of the vehicle and track components are reviewed.Based on the different causes,the formation mechanisms of periodic wheel defects are classified into three categories:(1)initial defects of wheels,(2)natural vibration of the vehicle–track system,and(3)thermoelastic instability.In addition,the simulation methods of wheel polygonisation evolution and countermeasures to mitigate wheel polygonisation are presented.Emphasis is given to the characteristics,effects,causes,and solutions of wheel polygonisation in metro vehicles,locomotives,and highspeed trains in China.Finally,the guidance is provided on further understanding the formation mechanisms,monitoring technology,and maintenance criterion of wheel polygonisation.

Multi-objective optimisation of a vehicle energy absorption structure based on surrogate model

In order to optimize the crashworthy characteristic of energy-absorbing structures, the surrogate models of specific energy absorption （SEA） and ratio of SEA to initial peak force （REAF） with respect to the design parameters were respectively constructed based on surrogate model optimization methods （polynomial response surface method （PRSM） and Kriging method （KM））. Firstly, the sample data were prepared through the design of experiment （DOE）. Then, the test data models were set up based on the theory of surrogate model, and the data samples were trained to obtain the response relationship between the SEA ＆amp; REAF and design parameters. At last, the structure optimal parameters were obtained by visual analysis and genetic algorithm （GA）. The results indicate that the KM, where the local interpolation method is used in Gauss correlation function, has the highest fitting accuracy and the structure optimal parameters are obtained as： the SEA of 29.8558 kJ/kg （corresponding toa=70 mm andt= 3.5 mm） and REAF of 0.2896 （corresponding toa=70 mm andt=1.9615 mm）. The basis function of the quartic PRSM with higher order than that of the quadratic PRSM, and the mutual influence of the design variables are considered, so the fitting accuracy of the quartic PRSM is higher than that of the quadratic PRSM.

Simulation of wheel and rail profile wear:a review of numerical models

The development of numerical models able to compute the wheel and rail profile wear is essential to improve the scheduling of maintenance operations required to restore the original profile shapes.This work surveys the main numerical models in the literature for the evaluation of the uniform wear of wheel and rail profiles.The standard structure of these tools includes a multibody simulation of the wheel-track coupled dynamics and a wear module implementing an experimental wear law.Therefore,the models are classified according to the strategy adopted for the worn profile update,ranging from models performing a single computation to models based on an online communication between the dynamic and wear modules.Nevertheless,the most common strategy nowadays relies on an iteration of dynamic simulations in which the profiles are left unchanged,with co-simulation techniques often adopted to increase the computational performances.Work is still needed to improve the accuracy of the current models.New experimental campaigns should be carried out to obtain refined wear coefficients and models,while strategies for the evaluation of both longitudinal and transversal wear,also considering the effects of tread braking,should be implemented to obtain accurate damage models.

Study on dynamic optimization of the double railway suspended vehicle for automatic transportation in the welding shop

The 2DOF dynamic equations of the doable railway suspended vehicle for automatic transportation in the welding shop are established. The sensitivities are analyzed. The parameter design is researched in ADAMS in terms of the inner railway radius, wheelbase, gauge, girder length of the doable railway suspended vehicle for automatic transportation in the welding product line. The mutual-restriction among the design variables is discussed and the selective ranges of the variables are confirmed. The result shows that the stability of the doable railway suspended vehicle for automatic transportation in the welding product line depends on parameters of the inner railway radius, wheelbase, gauge, girder length. The optimal results of the optimal objective and design variables have research significance for the virtual prototype of the doable suspension railway automation vehicle. The optimal results are input into the simulation model iteratively and the simulation results are fed back to the physical prototype. The veracity and reliability of peoformance forecast are improved so that the manufacture cost of the doable suspension railway automation vehicle is reduced significantly.

Effect of wheelset flexibility on wheel–rail contact behavior and a specific coupling of wheel–rail contact to flexible wheelset

The fexibility of a train＇s wheelset can have a large effect on vehicle–track dynamic responses in the medium to high frequency range.To investigate the effects of wheelset bending and axial deformation of the wheel web,a specifi coupling of wheel–rail contact with a fexible wheelset is presented and integrated into a conventional vehicle–track dynamic system model.Both conventional and the proposed dynamic system models are used to carry out numerical analyses on the effects of wheelset bending and axial deformation of the wheel web on wheel–rail rolling contact behaviors.Excitations with various irregularities and speeds were considered.The irregularities included measured track irregularity and harmonic irregularities with two different wavelengths.The speeds ranged from 200 to400km/h.The results show that the proposed model can characterize the effects of fexible wheelset deformation on the wheel–rail rolling contact behavior very well.

Theoretical and Experimental Study of Hopf Bifurcation and Limit Cycles of Railway Vehicle Hunting

The nonlinear hunting stability of railway vehicles is studied theoretically and experimentally in this paper.The Hopf bifurcation point is determined through calculating the eigenvalues of the system linearization equations incorporating with the golden cut method.The bifurcated limit cycles are computed by use of the shooting method to solve the boundary value problem of the system differential equations.Experimental validation to the numerical results is carricd out by utilizing the full scale roller test rig.

Fusion of Model-Based and Data Driven Based Fault Diagnostic Methods for Railway Vehicle Suspension

Transportation of freight and passengers by train is one of the oldest types of transport, and has now taken root in most of the developing countries especially in Africa. Recently, with the advent and development of high-speed trains, continuous monitoring of the railway vehicle suspension is of significant importance. For this reason, railway vehicles should be monitored continuously to avoid catastrophic events, ensure comfort, safety, and also improved performance while reducing life cycle costs. The suspension system is a very important part of the railway vehicle which supports the car-body and the bogie, isolates the forces generated by the track unevenness at the wheels and also controls the attitude of the car-body with respect to the track surface for ride comfort. Its reliability is directly related to the vehicle safety. The railway vehicle suspension often develops faults;worn springs and dampers in the primary and secondary suspension. To avoid a complete system failure, early detection of fault in the suspension of trains is of high importance. The main contribution of the research work is the prediction of faulty regimes of a railway vehicle suspension based on a hybrid model. The hybrid model framework is in four folds;first, modeling of vehicle suspension system to generate vertical acceleration of the railway vehicle, parameter estimation or identification was performed to obtain the nominal parameter values of the vehicle suspension system based on the measured data in the second fold, furthermore, a supervised machine learning model was built to predict faulty and healthy state of the suspension system components (damage scenarios) based on support vector machine (SVM) and lastly, the development of a new SVM model with the damage scenarios to predict faults on the test data. The level of degradation at which the spring and damper becomes faulty for both primary and secondary suspension system was determined. The spring and damper becomes faulty when the nominal values degrade by 50% and 40% and 30% and 40% for the secondary and primary suspension system respectively. The proposed model was able to predict faulty components with an accuracy of 0.844 for the primary and secondary suspension system.