Analysis of Metro Vehicle Operational Stability and Safety under Crosswind Effects

Abstract

Objective When urban rail transit trains operate on elevated tracks, crosswinds have a significant impact on the stability and safety of vehicle operation. It is essential to conduct a more in-depth study on the dynamics performance of metro vehicles under crosswind action. Method Three classical crosswind load models (classical constant steady-state wind load model, transient Chinese hat wind load model, and non-steady-state stochastic wind load model) in MATLAB software are employed to simulate dynamic wind fields. In SIMPACK software, a detailed rigid-body dynamics model of a single-car formation train is established. The three wind load models are applied as external excitations to the vehicle. Comparative analysis is conducted on the influence of different wind load models, wind speeds, and vehicle speeds on the operational stability of metro vehicles when operating on straight tracks. From a safety design perspective, the non-steady-state stochastic wind load model is selected to analyze the stability and safety of the vehicle during curve negotiation, exploring the safety domain of vehicle speeds under different wind speeds. Result & Conclusion Under crosswind action, both metro vehicle speed and wind speed significantly influence vehicle operational stability and safety. During train high-speed running, wind speed has a more pronounced impact on the lateral vibration of the vehicle. Among the three crosswind load models, the non-steady-state stochastic wind load model has the most significant impact on vehicle stability. Based on the analysis of vehicle stability and safety, speed limits for vehicles are determined for different route geometries (straight or curve tracks) and wind speeds.

Keywords

• metro vehicle
• crosswind
• operational stability
• safety
• vehicle speed limit value