Lateral dynamic analysis of a typical Indian rail-road vehicle

In this paper a numerical simulation of the lateral dynamic behavior of a railway vehicle is presented. A typical Indian railway vehicle of the AC/EMU/T (Alternating Current /Electrical Multiple Unit /Trailer) type running on broad gauge track has been chosen for the analysis. A 17 degree of freedom (dof) linear mathematical model of the vehicle has been used for the analysis. Kalker's creep theory is applied to evaluate the tangential contact forces acting between wheel and rail. Linear governing equations of motion of the vehicle on a straight track have been solved. Natural frequencies have been determined from the above mathematical model. Dynamic response studies were carried out in the frequency domain with power spectral densities of track gauge and alignment irregularities as input.