Module 2
Module 2
Module 2
Lecture 2
R. S. design
Dr KM Leung
BSc (Eng), MSc, PhD, JP
CEng, FIMechE, FHKIE, MIET, REW
(leungkm2@hku.hk)
8/15/2023 Page 1
Course contents
1. Train types
2. Car body
3. Bogie
4. Wheel set
5. Wheel-rail contact
6. Couplers
7. Risk matrix
8/15/2023 Page 2
言之吾听
示之吾明
行之吾知之欸
Confucius
Train motion equations - stopping/slowing down
2011
Types of RS vehicles in HK (for reading only)
• EMU, Electric multiple units (for passenger trains) : M-Trains for KTL, TWL
and ISL, C-Trains for KTL, CAF-Trains for TCL and AEL, K-Trains for TCL and
TKL, SP1900 Trains for EAL, WRL and MOL,
• Loco, Locomotives
(Structural members like underframe structures are normally steel (or S.S.)
beams for structural supports. HS train underframe uses Al for light weight)
Train car body
2. Fatigue loads
• Vertical, lateral and longitudinal cyclic loads
• The body structure shall withstand the defined fatigue loads (under
specific fatigue cycles) using the specified fatigue assessment methods
Train car body – loading
3. Collision loads
• Prevent damage to the train structures and couplers in the event of
collision
• Energy absorbed by the couplers and anti-climbers by means of plastic
deformation
• Withstand defined train collision scenarios without causing damage to
the car structure, eg. an 8-car train in tare condition at speed up to
22.5 kph collides with a similar train with parking brakes applied, an 8-
car train in tare condition at speed up to 11 kph collides with a fixed
concrete buffer stop (specified by BSEn 15227)
Bogie
1. Many designs, for better quality ride, easy maintenance, cost-
effectiveness
2. Bogie frame holds wheels parallel, supports vehicle car body, runs
stably on straight and curve track
3. Carries braking and traction equipment, suspension equipment
4. Purpose of suspension :
• Isolate passengers from acceleration, absorb vibration and ensure ride
comfort
• Reduce KE
• Prevent track/train damage
• Transmit traction/braking forces
Bogie
5. Primary suspension –
• Coil springs (cheap, constant elasticity, low inherent damping) and that
is why always with viscous dampers,
• other types can be leave springs (cheap, inherent damping,
maintenance intensive, heavy), rubber elements (cheap, light weight, not
stable in any direction) or friction damping,
• attach the weight of the bogie and equipment onto the axles,
• remove high frequency vibration,
• low inherent damping, therefore always with a viscous damper
• light weight and compact,
Bogie
5. Primary suspension –
• viscous dampers (tunable) to dissipate energy,
• suspensions are tuned to give optimum ride quality
Bogie
6. Secondary suspension –
• Removes low frequency vibration
• Air bags (air suspension most popular) for auto height and level
adjustment, increase ride comfort, good damping, carrying the car
body to allow the bogie to rotate as the train goes around bends,
remove low frequency vibration and noise transmission (from bogie
to car body)
• Can be coil springs (eg see TGV power bogie)
7. King pin (sits in the bolster of the car body and the bogie) transfers
traction and braking and guidance forces to the car body. For
bolsterless designs, the secondary suspension transfer the longitudinal
forces.
Secondary suspension
Bogie
Yaw damper
(prevent rotation
against vertical
axis
Primary spiral steel spring
Axle box and bearings
Primary vertical damper
Bogie and suspensions
1. Maintain car sway (roll) within specific gauge, support car body
firmly
2. Ensure running stably on straight and curved track
3. Ensure comfort ride (by absorbing vibration) generated by track
irregularities
4. Minimize derailment risk at curve transitions
5. Minimize track force on curve track at high speed
6. Minimize generating track corrugation and wheel flange/rail wear
Bogie and suspensions
Cone angle
1 in 20
Rail inclination
1 in 20
Wheelset
Area of slip
• Lateral displacement of the wheelset (on straight track) causes the wheels
run with different rolling radii. The “larger” wheel will roll a greater
distance, and the wheelset will yaw wrt. the track. Due to the yaw inertia
of the wheelset, it will pass the equilibrium position. The other wheel now
has a larger rolling radius and a kinematic oscillation is set up.
Wheel/rail contact - conicity
• RRD, rolling radius difference
• Wheel with a larger rolling radius will yaw and pass the equilibrium
position, and then the opposite wheel which now has a larger rolling
radius will then yaw. A kinematic oscillation is set up.
• RRD = Δr = 𝑟1 - 𝑟2 = (r + γy) – (r – γy) = 2 γy
Wheel/rail contact - conicity
𝑙0
y
𝑙0
• Δr = 𝑟1 - 𝑟2 = (r + γy) – (r – γy) = 2 γy
Length (m)
Wheel/rail contact - Stability
Ans. (r – γ y)/(r + γ y) = (R - 𝑙0 )/ (R + 𝑙0 )
(430 - y/20)/(430 + y/20) = (800000 – 1435/2)/(800000 + 1435/2)
(430 - y/20) = (430 + y/20)0.9982,
y = 20x430(1-0.9982)/(1+0.9982),
therefore y = 7.75 mm
Couplers
1. Connects cars together, transfers traction loads (push/pull, crashes)
2. Needs to connect air and electric systems
3. Provides longitudinal suspension
4. Manual or automatic coupling, permanent or semi-permanent
connections
5. Buffers are required to absorb compressive load
6. Technician required to get between cars to manually lift the shackle in
position and connect air and electric hoses
Couplers
5 M H H H H
4 M M H H H
3 L M M H H
2 L L M M H
1 L L L M M
Source : MTR Corporation
Risk matrix in HK (10 levels likelihood, 7 levels consequence)
As low as reasonably practicable (ALARP adopts in HK)
(for reading only)