Numerical simulation of the dynamic responses of railway overhead contact lines to a moving pantograph, considering a nonlinear dropper

Both the formulation of a nonlinear dropper and the proper implementation of a time-integration method are proposed for the finite element method (FEM) of pantograph-overhead contact line dynamics. The FEM models for a pantograph, overhead contact lines and dynamic interaction between a pantograph and overhead contact lines are validated step by step, by comparing simulated results with measured results. The dynamic responses of overhead contact lines to a moving pantograph, relevant to geometrically nonlinear droppers, are presented. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.