Dynamic performance of high-speed train passing windbreak breach under unsteady crosswind

Field test and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method are conducted to investigate the safety of high-speed train under unsteady crosswind. Wheel–rail forces of high-speed train passing a breach between two windbreaks under strong crosswind are measured in a field test. The derailment coefficient of first wheelset of front car at the windward side reaches the allowable value. Meanwhile, the left and right of lateral wheel–rail force are in the opposite direction. This kind of phenomenon has not been tested before. Therefore, CFD and multi-body simulations are performed in order to study the phenomena. Good agreement is obtained between the simulation results and the experimental data. It is concluded that the sudden increase of transient aerodynamic loads, when the train passing the breach, is the root of this phenomenon; after running along the same direction as carbody and bogie run along the opposite direction during the high-speed train passing the windbreak breach; larger opposite longitudinal creeping forces of first wheelset compel the first wheelset to yaw toward the windward side; meanwhile, larger lateral wheel–rail forces compel the first wheelset to run toward the windward side rail; the left and right lateral wheel–rail forces become opposite because the right wheel impacts the windward side rail.