Simulation of Torsional Vibration of Driven Railway Wheelsets Respecting the Drive Control Response on the Vibration Excitation in the Wheel-Rail Contact Point

For the stability verification of railway wheelsets in Germany, dynamic torsional stresses must be respected as they affect the axle and press fit stability of a wheelset. These dynamic stresses are applied to a wheelset by torsional vibration. However, dynamic stresses cannot be predicted by calculation, and so time-consuming and cost-intensive test runs are performed to measure the maximum dynamic stresses. Therefore, this article deals with the setup of a simulation model that shall enable the simulative prediction of maximum dynamic torsional stresses. This model respects that vibration excitation originates from the wheel-rail contact point and that the vibration energy input comes from a high-frequency drive train control. The first results show successful simulation of vibration excitation and correlations between adhesion change and maximum dynamic stresses.

Automated summary

This article highlights the importance of verifying stability of railway wheelsets in Germany, and discusses the setup of a simulation model for predicting maximum dynamic torsional stresses.