Keywords: active wheelset control, two-axle bogie, yaw actuation, scaled roller rig, multi-body system model, Simpack.

The conflict between curving and stability is a well known challenge concerned with railway vehicle dynamics. The designers of railway vehicles should always make a trade-off between high speed stability and curving performance. The utilization of active controlled wheelset guidance seems to be the way of offering high speed stability without curving performance deterioration.

An active controlled wheelset steering mechanism for a two-axle bogie was proposed and different control strategies and sensor arrangements were tested on the multi-body system (MBS) simulation model. A roller rig with 1/3.5 scaled bogie model was used to verify the computer simulation results and demonstrate active wheelset steering capabilities.

This paper focuses on the roller rig implementation and experiments for a curved track. The Czech Technical University roller rig is capable of simulating the running behaviour of a two-axle bogie possessing either conventional wheelsets or wheelsets with independently rotating wheels in a straight, curved and also transition track. The signal acquisition system was updated in order to have sensor signals available for real-time processing in the Matlab Simulink software.

The bogie was equipped with the actuated mechanism for radial wheelset steering. The actuator is a servo-motor that forces the radial wheelset steering by the means of conical gear-box and linkages. The mechanism is designed so that it is possible to use one actuator for the whole bogie, or to control each wheelset independently.

In order to evaluate curving performance, the system for simulating curved rail geometry, curve passing kinematic conditions and Y-force measurement was implemented on the rig. Several tests of curve passing with varying wheelset control strategies, curve radii and vehicle velocity were conducted.

The bogie model and roller rig design are described in detail. Special attention was paid to the Y-force measurement system, its calibration results and tests. The experiments are focused on active control of yaw angle between wheelsets and bogie frame and its influence on Y-force values. The curve passing experimental results are presented, discussed and compared with MBS model results.

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