Effects of the guideway's vibrational characteristics on the dynamics of a Maglev vehicle

The levitation control system in an electromagnetically levitated vehicle controls the voltage in its winding to maintain the air gap, which is the clearance between the electromagnet and the guideway, within an allowable range of variation, while strongly interacting with the flexible guideway. Thus, the vibrational characteristics of the guideway play an important role in the dynamics of Maglev (magnetically levitated) vehicles that utilise an active electromagnetic suspension system. In this study, the effects of the guideway's vibrational characteristics, such as natural frequency and damping, on the dynamics of the Maglev vehicle UTM-02 are numerically and experimentally analysed. From these analyses, the coupled equations of motion of the simplified vehicle–guideway model with three degrees of freedom are derived. Eigenvalues are calculated and frequency response analysis is also performed, in order to obtain a clear understanding of the dynamic characteristics resulting from the guideway's vibrational characteristics. To verify the numerical results, air gap tests of the urban Maglev vehicle UTM-02 are also carried out. These results lead us to recommend that the natural frequency of the guideway be decreased by increasing mass density rather than by decreasing rigidity, and that its damping ratio be increased in the Maglev vehicle UTM-02 employing a five-state feedback control law as a levitation control law.     

Coupled vibration analysis of Maglev vehicle-guideway while standing still or moving at low speeds

Dynamic instability, that is, resonance, may occur on an electromagnetic suspension-type Maglev that runs over the elevated guideway, particularly at very low speeds, due to the flexibility of the guideway. An analysis of the dynamic interaction between the vehicle and guideway is required at the design stage to investigate such instability, setting slender guideway in design direction for reducing construction costs. In addition, it is essential to design an effective control algorithm to solve the problem of instability. In this article, a more detailed model for the dynamic interaction of vehicle/guideway is proposed. The proposed model incorporates a 3D full vehicle model based on virtual prototyping, flexible guideway by a modal superposition method and levitation electromagnets including feedback controller into an integrated model. By applying the proposed model to an urban Maglev vehicle newly developed for commercial application, an analysis of the instability phenomenon and an investigation of air gap control performance are carried out through a simulation.     

Prediction of ride quality of a Maglev vehicle using a full vehicle multi-body dynamic model

In magnetically levitated (Maglev) transportation systems, especially in electromagnetic suspension system (EMS) type Maglev systems, highly accurate prediction of ride quality is very important in order to reasonably relax guideway construction tolerances or constraints and stiffness while meeting the specification for ride comfort, thereby reducing guideway construction and maintenance costs. A full vehicle multi-body dynamic model is proposed, to facilitate a rigorous ride quality prediction of an EMS-type Maglev vehicle. Using the more realistic dynamic model proposed in this paper, the effects of guideway deflection limits, surface roughness, and levitation control system parameters on ride quality are studied numerically. The results obtained from the simulation studies are then used to facilitate a discussion of the trade-off between guideway smoothness and vehicle suspension. It can be expected that these studies could suggest cost-effective specifications for guideway construction tolerances and stiffness and EMS.     

Design and validation of a slender guideway for Maglev vehicle by simulation and experiment

Normally, Maglev (magnetic levitation) vehicles run on elevated guideways. The elevated guideway must satisfy various load conditions of the vehicle, and has to be designed to ensure ride quality, while ensuring that the levitation stability of the vehicle is not affected by the deflection of the guideway. However, because the elevated guideways of Maglev vehicles in South Korea and other countries fabricated so far have been based on over-conservative design criteria, the size of the structures has increased. Further, from the cost perspective, they are unfavourable when compared with other light rail transits such as monorail, rubber wheel, and steel wheel automatic guided transit. Therefore, a slender guideway that does have an adverse effect on the levitation stability of the vehicle is required through optimisation of design criteria. In this study, to predict the effect of various design parameters of the guideway on the dynamic behaviour of the vehicle, simulations were carried out using a dynamics model similar to the actual vehicle and guideway, and a limiting value of deflection ratio of the slender guideway to ensure levitation control is proposed. A guideway that meets the requirement as per the proposed limit for deflection ratio was designed and fabricated, and through a driving test of the vehicle, the validity of the slender guideway was verified. From the results, it was confirmed that although some increase in airgap and cabin acceleration was observed with the proposed slender guideway when compared with the conventional guideway, there was no notable adverse effect on the levitation stability and ride quality of the vehicle. Therefore, it can be inferred that the results of this study will become the basis for establishing design criteria for slender guideways of Maglev vehicles in future.     

Energy Dissipation Due to Vehicle/Track Interaction

The effects of track irregularities and wheel profile on the amount of energy dissipated in railroad freight vehicles is examined. A nonlinear computational model is used to determine the average dissipation in the vehicle suspension and the wheel/rail contact patches. This dissipation is a component of the total resistance force acting on the vehicle. Parametric results are presented showing the effects of track geometry, wheel profile, suspension design, and hunting on train resistance. Track geometry studies consider the effects of track quality and curving. The AAR 1:20 wheel profile and the Heumann wheel profile are compared under various operating conditions. Compared with the Heumann profile, the AAR 1:20 profile is shown to have lower average resistance on good quality tangent track, but higher average resistance in steady curves. A trade-off exists between the two profiles when dynamic curve entry is considered.     

Research on the mechanism of a newly developed levitation frame with mid-set air spring

To reduce the vehicle/guideway-coupled vibration and improve the levitation stability of medium–low-speed maglev vehicle, a new type of levitation frame with air springs installed in the middle of the longitudinal beams is developed. This levitation frame with mid-set air spring (LFMAS) is studied comparatively with the levitation frame with end-set air spring (LFEAS) in electromagnetic levitation mode. The coupling degrees of the two kinds of frames are analysed by vertical motion equations; the energy consumptions for levitation control system to overcome the spring resistance in the whole adjustment process are calculated by the energy method; and the vibration accelerations are compared by dynamics analysis and bench test. The equations indicate that the LFMAS has a better decoupling effect and lower energy consumption than that of the LFEAS in any adjustment process. Simulation and test results show that the LFMAS can effectively reduce the vibration acceleration at a low-speed and achieve a better levitation stability in working conditions, validating that the LFMAS has a better levitation performance and adaptability to the guideway, which is attributed to the mechanical decoupling of the levitation module. It is expected that this new levitation frame will be very helpful in enhancing levitation stability and the ride index of medium–low-speed maglev vehicle.     

Energy Dissipation Due to Vehicle/Track Interaction

SUMMARY

The effects of track irregularities and wheel profile on the amount of energy dissipated in railroad freight vehicles is examined. A nonlinear computational model is used to determine the average dissipation in the vehicle suspension and the wheel/rail contact patches. This dissipation is a component of the total resistance force acting on the vehicle. Parametric results are presented showing the effects of track geometry, wheel profile, suspension design, and hunting on train resistance. Track geometry studies consider the effects of track quality and curving. The AAR 1:20 wheel profile and the Heumann wheel profile are compared under various operating conditions. Compared with the Heumann profile, the AAR 1:20 profile is shown to have lower average resistance on good quality tangent track, but higher average resistance in steady curves. A trade-off exists between the two profiles when dynamic curve entry is considered.     

A semi-active control suspension system for railway vehicles with magnetorheological fluid dampers

The high-speed train has achieved great progress in the last decades. It is one of the most important modes of transportation between cities. With the rapid development of the high-speed train, its safety issue is paid much more attention than ever before. To improve the stability of the vehicle with high speed, extra dampers (i.e. anti-hunting damper) are used in the traditional bogies with passive suspension system. However, the curving performance of the vehicle is undermined due to the extra lateral force generated by the dampers. The active suspension systems proposed in the last decades attempt to solve the vehicle steering issue. However, the active suspension systems need extra actuators driven by electrical power or hydraulic power. There are some implementation and even safety issues which are not easy to be overcome. In this paper, an innovative semi-active controlled lateral suspension system for railway vehicles is proposed. Four magnetorheological fluid dampers are fixed to the primary suspension system of each bogie. They are controlled by online controllers for enhancing the running stability on the straight track line on the one hand and further improving the curving performance by controlling the damper force on the other hand. Two control strategies are proposed in the light of the pure rolling concept. The effectiveness of the proposed strategies is demonstrated by SIMPACK and Matlab co-simulation for a full railway vehicle with two conventional bogies.     

Optimization of curving performance of rail vehicles

The curving performance of a transit rail vehicle model with 21 degrees of freedom is optimized using a combination of multibody dynamics and a genetic algorithm (GA). The design optimization is to search for optimal design variables so that the noise or wear, arising from misalignment of the wheelsets with the track, is reduced to a minimum level during curve negotiations with flange contact forces guiding the rail vehicle. The objective function is a weighted combination of angle of attack on wheelsets and ratios of lateral to vertical forces on wheels. Using the combination of the GA and a multibody dynamics modelling program, A'GEM, the generation of governing equations of motion for complex nonlinear dynamic rail vehicle models and the search for global optimal design variables can be carried out automatically. To demonstrate the feasibility and efficacy of the proposed approach of using the combination of multibody dynamics and GAs, the numerical simulation results of the optimization are offered, the selected objective function is justified, and the sensitivity analysis of different design parameters and different design parameter sets on curving performance is performed. Numerical results show that compared with suspension and inertial parameter sets, the geometric parameter set has the most significant effect on curving performance.     

Optimization of curving performance of rail vehicles

The curving performance of a transit rail vehicle model with 21 degrees of freedom is optimized using a combination of multibody dynamics and a genetic algorithm (GA). The design optimization is to search for optimal design variables so that the noise or wear, arising from misalignment of the wheelsets with the track, is reduced to a minimum level during curve negotiations with flange contact forces guiding the rail vehicle. The objective function is a weighted combination of angle of attack on wheelsets and ratios of lateral to vertical forces on wheels. Using the combination of the GA and a multibody dynamics modelling program, A’GEM, the generation of governing equations of motion for complex nonlinear dynamic rail vehicle models and the search for global optimal design variables can be carried out automatically. To demonstrate the feasibility and efficacy of the proposed approach of using the combination of multibody dynamics and GAs, the numerical simulation results of the optimization are offered, the selected objective function is justified, and the sensitivity analysis of different design parameters and different design parameter sets on curving performance is performed. Numerical results show that compared with suspension and inertial parameter sets, the geometric parameter set has the most significant effect on curving performance.     

Static and Dynamic Performance of Permanent Magnet Suspension for Maglev Transport Vehicle

The design and performance of a mechanical air gap controller for a maglev transport vehicle are described. The basic requirement for a functional design of the controller is derived first and its effectiveness is shown by experiments. After the construction of dynamic vehicle models dynamic characteristics of the maglev vehicle are introduced and the stability criteria for magnetic levitation are derived. The effect of a dead zone in the mechanical air gap controller and nonlinear characteristics of the magnets, which are expected to exert a large influence on vehicle levitation performance, are investigated by simulations. The simulation results show that a low control lever ratio causes sudden deterioration of the levitation performance if there exists a dead zone in the controller, and a suitable control lever ratio which is unaffected by the dead zone is proposed. Finally, field test results with an actual maglev transport vehicle are shown and the dynamic levitation performance of the vehicle is discussed.     

电磁主动悬架的设计及仿真研究

基于电磁学原理,利用电磁铁作为主动悬架的作动器,构造出电磁作动器的一般结构。在1/4汽车悬架的基础上,建立了电磁主动悬架的非线性模型,并应用现代控制理论设计了该模型的次优控制器,对该模型进行分析、仿真。模拟结果表明,电磁悬架能够实现一般主动悬架的功能,满足车辆平顺性的要求,可以适用于汽车的悬架系统。     

Characteristics of Guided-Steering Railway Trucks

The dynamic characteristics of guided-steering railway trucks are described both in a general sense and in terms of a specific design. Stability margins and curving performance have been predicted and are compared for both conventional and steered vehicles. It is shown that guided-steering trucks exhibit modes of instability which, although surmountable by proper design, are not found in conventional trucks. In particular, a low conicity, divergent, leading truck instability is described together with a companion high conicity, divergent trailing truck instability. Curving and dynamic performance for steered vehicles is shown to have the potential of being far superior to that of comparable conventional vehicles. Factors influencing the design of steered rail vehicles are presented and discussed.     

Dynamics of railway freight vehicles

This paper summarises the historical development of railway freight vehicles and how vehicle designers have tackled the difficult challenges of producing running gear which can accommodate the very high tare to laden mass of typical freight wagons whilst maintaining stable running at the maximum required speed and good curving performance. The most common current freight bogies are described in detail and recent improvements in techniques used to simulate the dynamic behaviour of railway vehicles are summarised and examples of how these have been used to improve freight vehicle dynamic behaviour are included. A number of recent developments and innovative components and sub systems are outlined and finally two new developments are presented in more detail: the LEILA bogie and the SUSTRAIL bogie.     

Vehicle dynamics control using an active third-axle system

This paper introduces the active third-axle system as an innovative vehicle dynamic control method. This method can be applicable for different kinds of three-axle vehicles such as buses, trucks, or even three-axle passenger cars. In this system, an actuator on the middle axle actively applies an independent force on the suspension to improve the handling characteristics, and hence, its technology is similar to slow-active suspension systems. This system can change the inherent vehicle dynamic characteristics, such as under/over steering behaviour, in the linear handling region, as well as vehicle stability in the nonlinear, limit handling region. In this paper, our main focus is to show the potential capabilities of this method in enhancing vehicle dynamic performance. For this purpose, as the first step, the proposed method in both linear and nonlinear vehicle handling regions is studied mathematically. Next, a comprehensive, nonlinear, 10 degrees of freedom vehicle model with a fuzzy control strategy is used to evaluate the effectiveness of this system. The dynamic behaviour of a vehicle, when either uncontrolled or equipped with the active third axle is then compared. Simulation results show that this active system can be considered as an innovative method for vehicle dynamic control.     

Passive Repulsive MagLev: Concept and Experimental Demonstration

A simple demonstrator for a magnetic levitation vehicle (MagLev) based on repulsive suspension forces generated by permanent magnets is presented. The lateral and yaw motions are stabilized using controlled electromagnets. A mathematical model, aimed mainly at defining the control strategy, has been developed and then experimentally validated using the demonstrator. Two different control strategies have been tested, namely a zero position error and a zero average current control strategy. Both proved to grant a stable behaviour and to effectively counteract external force disturbances. This demonstrator will be used in future research on MagLev vehicles but also on magnetic suspensions in general.     

Passive Repulsive MagLev: Concept and Experimental Demonstration

A simple demonstrator for a magnetic levitation vehicle (MagLev) based on repulsive suspension forces generated by permanent magnets is presented. The lateral and yaw motions are stabilized using controlled electromagnets. A mathematical model, aimed mainly at defining the control strategy, has been developed and then experimentally validated using the demonstrator. Two different control strategies have been tested, namely a zero position error and a zero average current control strategy. Both proved to grant a stable behaviour and to effectively counteract external force disturbances. This demonstrator will be used in future research on MagLev vehicles but also on magnetic suspensions in general.     

Optimal Performance of Variable Component Suspensions

Most vehicle suspension systems use fixed passive components that offer a compromise in performance between sprung mass isolation, suspension travel, and tireroad contact force. Recently, systems with discretely adjustable dampers and air springs been added to production vehicles. Active and semi-active damping concepts for vehicle suspensions have also been studied theoretically and with physical prototypes. This paper examines the optimal performance comparisons of variable component suspensions, including active damping and full-state feedback, for “quartercar” heave models. Two and three dimensional optimizations are computed using performance indicators to find the component parameters (control gains) that provide “optimal” performance for statistically described roadway inputs. The effects of performance weighting and feedback configuration are examined. Active damping is shown to be mainly important for vehicle isolation. A passive vehicle suspension can control suspension travel and tire contact force nearly as well as a full state feedback control strategy.     

Dynamics of Automated Guideway Transit Vehicle with Single-axle Bogies

Summary The steering type of a mechanical guidance system has been used for Automated Guideway Transit (AGT) system in Japan. Recently, the single-axle bogie system has developed for AGT vehicle and applied to Yurikamome 7200 type vehicle. This paper describes dynamic characteristics of AGT vehicle with single-axle bogies. Introducing a nonlinear, 15 degree-of-freedom dynamic model, a computer simulation study on the lateral motion of the AGT vehicle with single-axle bogies are carried out. In order to show the dynamic characteristics of the single-axle bogie clearly, it is compared to that of the AGT vehicle with conventional steering system. The simulation study with actual vehicle parameters shows that single-axle bogie has suitable characteristics for AGT system. The multi-body dynamics modeler, DADS, is used to build the dynamic model of AGT vehicle with single-axle bogies and this is used to demonstrate the vehicle motion in actual guideway. Obtained results are compared to that of the field test. It is shown that the vehicle dynamic response can be obtained in realistic situation by using multibody dynamics code, that is useful for designing both vehicle and guideway.     

Dynamics of Automated Guideway Transit Vehicle with Single-axle Bogies

Summary The steering type of a mechanical guidance system has been used for Automated Guideway Transit (AGT) system in Japan. Recently, the single-axle bogie system has developed for AGT vehicle and applied to Yurikamome 7200 type vehicle. This paper describes dynamic characteristics of AGT vehicle with single-axle bogies. Introducing a nonlinear, 15 degree-of-freedom dynamic model, a computer simulation study on the lateral motion of the AGT vehicle with single-axle bogies are carried out. In order to show the dynamic characteristics of the single-axle bogie clearly, it is compared to that of the AGT vehicle with conventional steering system. The simulation study with actual vehicle parameters shows that single-axle bogie has suitable characteristics for AGT system. The multi-body dynamics modeler, DADS, is used to build the dynamic model of AGT vehicle with single-axle bogies and this is used to demonstrate the vehicle motion in actual guideway. Obtained results are compared to that of the field test. It is shown that the vehicle dynamic response can be obtained in realistic situation by using multibody dynamics code, that is useful for designing both vehicle and guideway.