STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF DYNAMICAL QUANTITIES RELATED TO RUNNING SAFETY AND RIDE COMFORT OF A RAILWAY VEHICLE

Abstract

This paper investigates the variation of track geometrical parameters that lead to a local increase of specific dynamical quantities of a railway vehicle, possibly beyond their acceptable values. In particular, the changes of track geometry are investigated near track points where the running safety or ride comfort are significantly decreased during the vehicle motion due to track irregularities. The investigated dynamical quantities include the lateral and vertical forces at the wheel-rail contact as well as the acceleration of the vehicle body. The vehicle motion has been simulated using a non-linear model of a passenger car moving along a nominally tangent stiff track with random geometrical irregularities. The relationship between the local track condition and the maxima of the dynamical quantities was investigated with the statistical method proposed by the author. The performed analysis clearly identifies the characteristic variation of track irregularities that leads to a large increase of the investigated dynamical quantities at some track points.