Continuous observation of wheel/rail contact forces in curved track and theoretical considerations

Abstract

By using non-contact gap sensors equipped on non-rotating parts of a bogie, a new measuring method of wheel/rail contact forces has been developed. The developed system has been verified to have sufficient durability for continuous measurement on in-service trains and sufficient practical accuracy after various stand tests and train running tests. After a long-period of continuous measurement on a commercial subway line, some important characteristics of wheel/rail contact mechanics were found by the analysis of measured data. Numerical simulations of curving with a full vehicle model using multi-body dynamics software were carried out, and according to the comparison with measured data, simulation results agree well with measured data in the steady-state values of derailment coefficients considering friction coefficient.