Fundamental study of ride comfort on high-speed train in vertical curve passage

Abstract

According to a speedup of the Shinkansen, it is increasing to feel the passage of the vertical curve. However, the actual situation is not clarified because it is hardly investigated the ride comfort about the vertical curve passage until now. Therefore, two kinds of subject experiments by the high-speed train were carried out to obtain the knowledge of the ride comfort in the vertical curve passage, and the following results were provided. It was suggested that not only the acceleration but also the jerk influenced the perception of the vertical curve. In the same condition as the passengers of the operating train, the perception ratios of the vertical curve were about 60 % at maximum speed 275 km/h, and about 70 % at that 320 km/h. In the vibration ride comfort of including the vertical curve, the railroad employees were strictly evaluated than general subjects, and young group subjects were strictly estimated than elder ones. © 2011 The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers.