Keywords: high-speed electric multiple unit, inter-vehicle damper, aerodynamic load, dynamic performance.

In recent years, along with the continuous development of railway transportation in China, raising train operating speeds becomes an important means to increase the competitiveness of railway transportation. In order to improve the dynamic performance and decrease vibration, not only the parameters of the traditional primary and second suspension should be optimized, but the inter-vehicle suspension system also should be considered and optimized on the basis of the train dynamics to improve the train ride quality.

The three dimensional lateral-vertical-longitudinal coupled dynamic model of the high speed electric multiple unit (EMU) which includes two motor cars and one trailer car connected using inter-vehicle suspension devices is described in this paper based on the multi-body system dynamics. The influence of the longitudinal, vertical and lateral dampers between vehicles on the ride indexes, the accelerations of the carbodies, the ride comfort and the curving performances under normal condition are simulated and compared in this paper. Also the influence of the inter-vehicle dampers on the dynamic response of the carbodies under aerodynamic loads when the vehicles pass through a tunnel is also studied.

The numerical results show that the longitudinal dampers have a great effect on the lateral ride quality and that the longitudinal dampers can reduce the lateral vibration by about 1-2.5Hz, but the lateral vibration energy near 3Hz of the first car will be increased. The vertical dampers can improve effectively the vertical ride quality and the lateral dampers can improve effectively the lateral ride quality. The inter-vehicle dampers still have an effect on reducing the dynamic response of the carbodies under special aerodynamic load conditions.

From the simulation and analysis results concerning the influence of the mounting position and characteristic parameters of the inter-vehicle dampers on the dynamic response of the EMU under normal conditions and the special aerodynamic load conditions, it can be seen that the method of equipping vertical, lateral and vertical dampers between vehicles with optimal parameters and proper installation position are given. The position and characteristic parameter may effectively restrain and reduce the lateral and vertical vibrations but have little influence on critical speed and curving performance.

purchase the full-text of this paper (price £20)

go to the previous paper
go to the next paper
return to the table of contents
return to the book description
purchase this book (price £110 +P&P)