A critical review of wheel/rail high frequency vibration-induced vibration fatigue of railway bogie in China

Purpose–This review aims to give a critical view of the wheel/rail high frequency vibration-induced vibration fatigue in railway bogie.Design/methodology/approach–Vibration fatigue of railway bogie arising from the wheel/rail high frequency vibration has become the main concern of railway operators.Previous reviews usually focused on the formation mechanism of wheel/rail high frequency vibration.This paper thus gives a critical review of the vibration fatigue of railway bogie owing to the short-pitch irregularities-induced high frequency vibration,including a brief introduction of short-pitch irregularities,associated high frequency vibration in railway bogie,typical vibration fatigue failure cases of railway bogie and methodologies used for the assessment of vibration fatigue and research gaps.Findings–The results showed that the resulting excitation frequencies of short-pitch irregularity vary substantially due to different track types and formation mechanisms.The axle box-mounted components are much more vulnerable to vibration fatigue compared with other components.The wheel polygonal wear and rail corrugation-induced high frequency vibration is the main driving force of fatigue failure,and the fatigue crack usually initiates from the defect of the weld seam.Vibration spectrum for attachments of railway bogie defined in the standard underestimates the vibration level arising from the short-pitch irregularities.The current investigations on vibration fatigue mainly focus on the methods to improve the accuracy of fatigue damage assessment,and a systematical design method for vibration fatigue remains a huge gap to improve the survival probability when the rail vehicle is subjected to vibration fatigue.Originality/value–The research can facilitate the development of a new methodology to improve the fatigue life of railway vehicles when subjected to wheel/rail high frequency vibration.

Fatigue behavior of aluminum stiffened plate subjected to random vibration loading

Vibration tests were carried out on three types of stiffened aluminum plates with fully clamped boundaries under random base excitation. During the test, the response of the specimens was monitored using strain gauges. Based on the strain history, the accumulation of fatigue damage of the stiffened plates was estimated by means of the rainflow cycle counting technique and the Miner linear damage accumulation model in the time domain. Utilizing the change of natural frequencies, a nonlinear model was fitted for predicting the fatigue damage of plate and then the foregone failure criterion of 5% reduction in natural frequency is improved. The influence of section and spacing of the stiffeners on the vibration fatigue behavior of the aluminum plate was investigated. The results show that the fatigue life of aluminum plate increases with adding either T or L section riveted stiffeners. With the same cross-sectional area of stiffener, the T section stiffened plate shows longer fatigue life than L section stiffened plate. Meanwhile, the vibration fatigue life also shows great sensitivity to the spacing between the stiffeners.

Vibration Fatigue Probabilistic Life Prediction Model and Method for Blade

Vibration fatigue is one of the main failure modes of blade.The vibration fatigue life of blade is scattered caused by manufacture error,material property dispersion and external excitation randomness.A new vibration fatigue probabilistic life prediction model(VFPLPM)and a prediction method are proposed in this paper.Firstly,as one-dimensional volumetric method(ODVM)only considers the principle calculation direction,a three-dimensional space vector volumetric method(TSVVM)is proposed to improve fatigue life prediction accuracy for actual threedimensional engineering structure.Secondly,based on the two volumetric methods(ODVM and TSVVM),the material C-P-S-N fatigue curve model(CFCM)and the maximum entropy quantile function model(MEQFM),VFPLPM is established to predict the vibration fatigue probabilistic life of blade.The VFPLPM is combined with maximum stress method(MSM),ODVM and TSVVM to estimate vibration fatigue probabilistic life of blade simulator by finite element simulation,and is verified by vibration fatigue test.The results show that all of the three methods can predict the vibration fatigue probabilistic life of blade simulator well.VFPLPM &TSVVM method has the highest computational accuracy for considering stress gradient effect not only in the principle calculation direction but also in other space vector directions.

Influence of surface treatments on fatigue life of a two-stroke free piston linear engine component using random loading

This paper describes the finite element (FE) analysis technique to predict fatigue life using the narrow band frequency response approach. The life prediction results are useful for improving the component design methodology at the very early development stage. The approach is found to be suitable for a periodic loading but requires very large time records to accurately describe random loading processes. This paper is aimed at investigating the effects of surface treatments on the fatigue life of the free piston linear engine’s components. Finite element modelling and frequency response analysis were conducted using computer aided design and finite element analysis commercial codes, respectively. In addition, the fatigue life prediction was carried out using finite element based fatigue analysis commercial code. Narrow band approach was specially applied to predict the fatigue life of the free piston linear engine cylinder block. Significant variation was observed between the surface treatments and untreated cylinder block of free piston engine. The obtained results indicated that nitrided treatment yielded the longest life. This approach can determine premature products failure phenomena, and therefore can reduce time to market, improve product reliability and customer confidence.

Experimental Study on Response Performance of VIV of A Flexible Riser with Helical Strakes

Laboratory tests were conducted on a flexible riser with and without helical strakes. The aim of the present work is to further understand the response performance of the vortex induced vibration（VIV） for a riser with helical strakes. The experiment was accomplished in the towing tank and the relative current was simulated by towing a flexible riser in one direction. Based on the modal analysis method, the displacement responses can be obtained by the measured strain. The strakes with different heights are analyzed here, and the response parameters like strain response and displacement response are studied. The experimental results show that the in-line（IL） response is as important as the cross-flow（CF） response, however, many industrial analysis methods usually ignore the IL response due to VIV. The results also indicate that the response characteristics of a bare riser can be quite distinct from that of a riser with helical strakes, and the response performance depends on the geometry on the helical strakes closely. The fatigue damage is further discussed and the results show that the fatigue damage in the CF direction is of the same order as that in the IL direction for the bare riser. However, for the riser with helical strakes, the fatigue damage in the CF direction is much smaller than that in the IL direction.

Finite element and experimental analysis of pinion bracket-assembly of three gorges project ship lift

The pinion bracket-assembly(PBA) is a major part of three gorges project(TGP) ship lift drive system. The static strength,fatigue strength and stress distribution of hinge pin of PBA were analyzed by ANSYS, and the structure of PBA was optimized. The results show that after the optimization, the maximum comprehensive stress is 259.59 MPa, the maximum fatigue cumulative damage of weld joints is 0.94 and the maximum vertical deformation of hinge pin is 0.14 mm. The elastic deformation, hydropneumatic spring cylinder(HSC) load response and the vibration characteristics of PBA were studied by the bearing test when PBA bore the load caused by different water level errors. The results indicate that when the water level of ship chamber ranges from 3.4 m to 3.6 m,the vertical elastic deformation of the pinion shaft is between-8.58 and 10.50 mm. When upward outage-load(1580 k N) is imposed by the test-rack, the vertical elastic deformation of the pinion shaft is 13.42 and 14.07 mm and HSC load response is 795.80-800.80 k N. In the process of imposing load on the pinion by the test-rack, the maximum vibration amplitude and acceleration of PBA internal components are 0.37° and 2.67 rad/s2, respectively; the maximum impact on the pin caused by vibration is 19.89 k N; the pinion shaft vertical displacement and HSC load response do not fluctuate. There is a great difference between the frequency of meshing force of the pinion and the rack(1.06 Hz) and first-order natural frequency of PBA(8.41 Hz), thus PBA will not resonate.From all above, PBA meets the static strength and fatigue strength requirements. The vibration of PBA internal components has no effect on the vertical displacement of the pinion shaft, HSC load response and smooth operation of PBA. There is a liner relationship in the ratio of 2:1 between the thrust imposed by the test-rack and HSC load, thus HSC can limit the load imposed on the pinion.

System dynamics in structural strength and vibration fatigue life assessment of the swing bar for high‐speed maglev train

High‐speed maglev trains are subjected to severe dynamic loads,thus posing a failure hazard.It is necessary to account for the vehicle dynamics to improve the structural strength and fatigue life assessment approach under harsh routes and super high‐speed grades.As the most critical load‐carrying part between the vehicle body and levitation frames,the swing bar was taken as an example to demonstrate the significance of vehicle dynamics to integrate classical structural strength and fatigue life with the service conditions.A multiphysics‐coupled dynamic model of an alpha improvement scheme for an electromagnetic suspension maglev train capable of 600 km/h was established to investigate the complex dynamic loads and fatigue spectra.Using this model,the structural strength and fatigue life of the wrought swing bars were investigated.Results show only a slight effect on the structural strength and fatigue life of swing bars by the super high‐speed grades.The nonaxial bending moments caused by the uncompensated relative displacement between the vehicle body and bolsters are identified as the decisive factors.The minimum safety factor of the structural strength for wrought swing bars is 1.33,while the minimum fatigue life is 34 years.Both match the design requirements but are not conservative enough.Therefore,further verification and optimization are recommended to improve the design of swing bars.

Effects of installations on the low frequency vibration response of specimens in acoustic fatigue tests

The low frequency vibration response of a specimen in acoustic fatigue tests depends not only on the dynamic characteristics and the boundary conditions of the specimen itself, but also on the test unit which couples the specimen to a given sound field. Further, the latter can even be dominant instead the former in some circumstances. This fact is shown in the paper by using the experimental results and the theoretical analysis of the acoustic-induced vibration of a boundary clamped rectangular thin plate. In analysing the systems of acoustic fatigue test, an approach of electro-mechano-acoustical analogous circuit is used. The application of the approach can give an estimation of the effects on the low frequency vibration modes of various parameters in a system quantitatively. This supplies a theoretical basis and a means for the rational layout of acoustic fatigue tests.

Mechanical Analysis Methods of Cantilever Gearbox Housing

The mechanical state of cantilever gearbox housing is different from ordinary ones due to the long arm of force caused by cantilever structure.Conventional mechanical analysis methods either took cantilever gearbox housing as ordinary ones or cantilever beam.Few published papers have specially focused on mechanical analysis method for cantilever gearbox housing.This paper takes a longwall shearer cutting unit gearbox(SCUG)as an example and the mechanical analysis method is investigated according to the causes of fatigue for SCUG.Force analysis model is established for finding out regions of static fatigue caused by low-frequency loads,and local resonance analysis is used for finding out regions of vibration fatigue caused by high-frequency loads.Not only bending moment but also torque caused by gear meshing forces is taken into account in the force analysis model.Vibration response is obtained from cutting experiment,and dominant frequencies of local resonance are obtained by frequency domain analysis.Finite element model of SCUG is established,and natural frequencies and strain modes are analyzed for obtaining the main vibration modes corresponding to dominant frequencies.Hence,large stress regions caused by low and high frequency loads are obtained.Results show that the worst working condition is oblique cutting,and the stress of B-B in 600 mm cutting depth can reach 166 MPa.Obviously,950 Hz,1250 Hz,and 1400 Hz are dominant frequencies of SCUG(23rd,25th and 27th natural frequencies).Generally,this paper proposes some principles for mechanical analysis method of cantilever gearbox housing.

Vibration monitoring for composite structures using buckypaper sensors arrayed by flexible printed circuit

Fiber-reinforced resin-based plastics are widely used in structural composites for aerospace and automotive applications,and they often face extreme load conditions in actual working environments.It is challenging to monitor the damage of the structure during the vibration process.This study was aimed at using buckypaper(BP)sensors to monitor the structural health status of composite structures under ambient vibrations.First,the feasibility of flexible printed circuit instead of wire is verified by the tensile experiment.Then the vibration monitoring experiment of the composite cantilever beam is carried out by using BP sensors systematically.The sweep frequency experiment determines the excitation frequency of the cantilever beam.Low-period vibration fatigue cycle and high-period vibration fatigue cycle experiments are designed to verify the vibration monitoring method using BP sensors.Besides,the signal response of BP sensors in the vibration experiment is analyzed,and the relationship betweenΔR/R0 and vibration acceleration is obtained.Finally,through the change law ofΔR/R0 of the sensor,the cumulative damage caused by vibration fatigue is visualized.It is demonstrated that the monitoring method based on BP sensors can be applied to study the damage behavior of composite structure under the vibration environment.