Influence of vehicle unsprung-mass on dynamic wheel load

Abstract

Dynamic wheel load variation is one of the major causes of railway track deterioration and ground vibration. Lightening of vehicle unsprung-mass is more effective on reducing dynamic wheel load than that of sprung or intermediatemass. In this paper, we estimate and discuss this effect by combining the following three methods; (1) field tests and measurements with a special equipped train, (2) an experimental method with a unique test facility and real track, and (3) a computer simulation which can calculate dynamic interaction between vehicle and track.