Institute of Fundamental Technological Research

The article features the results of computer and experimental research on operational issues in the aspect of safety in relation to a freight wagon derailment on a railway track. It presents the knowledge regarding the methods of assessing the operational safety of rail vehicles on railroad tracks for the purpose of comparative analysis. The theoretical analyses were performed based on several methods that assess the safety of their derailments, qualifying for operational reliability, comparing them with the results obtained from experimental research. For the purpose of the research, a computer model of rail vehicle- railway track was created. It took into consideration dynamic parameters of elements used in the real track and rail vehicle. The results obtained from theoretical analyses were validated with experimental tests carried out on real objects (freight vehicle - test track, freight wagon - test rig). As part of the research, new test track geometry for testing rail vehicles was proposed. The results obtained in this way allowed estimating the conditions threatening the operation of a freight vehicle while running on the test rail infrastructure with different assessment criteria and to compare them.

operational safety, rail vehicle dynamics, derailment, experimental tests, numerical investigations

When freight rolling stock operators optimize their own costs and profits, one of many steps is to increase the number of wagons. As the freight trains become longer, the dynamics of individual freight wagons in the longitudinal direction becomes important in terms of safety. In this case, the forces involved between the wagons have a key influence on safety against derailment. The derailments of wagons of long freight trains frequently occurred around the world, which caused tremendous losses. The presented in the paper approach to the results obtain from experimental tests carried out on real objects (freight train - test track) to validate a theoretical model are used. Thus, as a result of these numerical investigations by use of the theoretical model, a tool based on multi-body simulations has been developed to provide longitudinal behaviour of freight wagon passing through S-curves of varying curvatures.

longitudinal dynamics, experimental investigations, theoretical investigations, freight trains, railway dynamic

Safe operation and efficient of trains require assessment of its running behaviour. When freight rolling stock operators optimize their own costs and profits, one of many steps is to increase the number of wagons. As the freight trains become longer, the dynamics of individual freight wagons in the longitudinal direction becomes important in terms of in-service behaviour. In this case, the forces involved between the wagons have a key influence on safety against derailment. Safety against derailment is one of primary criteria for assessing the reliability of rail vehicle operation. The derailments of wagons of long freight trains frequently occurred around the world, which caused tremendous losses. Statistics from Australia, Canada, China revealed that the freight trains account for the vast majority of mainline derailments.

longitudinal dynamics, freight trains, experimental and theoretical investigations, trains dynamics, wheel-rail interaction

W artykule przedstawiono wyniki badań eksperymentalnych i numerycznych dotyczących zagadnień wykolejenia wagonu towarowego. Przybliżono charakteryzację stanu wiedzy dotyczącej metod oceny bezpieczeństwa pojazdów szynowych przed wykolejeniem, w celu ich porównania. W pracy przeprowadzono teoretyczne analizy porównawcze według kilku metod, które ocenią bezpieczeństwo przed wykolejeniem porównane z badaniami eksperymentalnymi. Na potrzeby analiz teoretycznych powstał numeryczny model układu pojazd szynowy-tor. Model ten uwzględniał parametry dynamiczne elementów zastosowanych w rzeczywistym pojeździe. Wyniki analizy teoretycznej poparto badaniami eksperymentalnymi przeprowadzonymi na rzeczywistym obiekcie (wagon towarowy - tor testowy). Uzyskane wyniki pozwoliły określić stan zagrożenia bezpieczeństwa ruchu wagonu towarowego przy różnych kryteriach oceny oraz je porównać.

współczynnik wykolejenia, dynamiki pojazdów szynowych, bezpieczeństwo, badania eksperymentalne