Modelling and simulation in rail-vehicle technical safety tests

Aim of project
A rail car as one component of the rail car-track mechanical system is a complex dynamic object whose behaviour at velocities above 200 km/h, and at medium frequency area (100–800 Hz) has not been carefully researched yet. The recent aspirations in Poland to increase, in some lines, velocities up to 250 km/h and more, are justified considering their commercial and marketing impact. However, considering the state of preparation of the Polish railways to implement these concepts, we should start work on building tools that will allow us to evaluate the proposed solutions for safety of railway operation. Safety tests, performed on both new and modernised rail-vehicles, take a long time and are expensive. We expect that in the following years (a perspective of 5–10 years) there should be some intensification of activities in the scope of new rail-vehicle construction designed for both freight and passenger transport, as well as urban traffic transport (trams). Starting precedent fundamental research in order to develop methodology of rail-vehicle safety traffic tests will be the purpose of this project. We would like to consider increased velocities, currently used international and national research and certification procedures, and operating conditions specifi c for the Polish railways.

Expected results
The results of the project will create foundations allowing to proceed with implementation work, in newly designed rail-vehicle constructions, of the solutions that will meet active and passive safety requirements.

The achieved result updates will be presented at the institute seminars, national and international conferences. Results of the finished stages will be presented in Polish and English editions of scientific journals. Moreover, we expect to open a Ph.D. program in the subject closely related to the proposed project, and using the results of the project in a habilitation dissertation. I also expect the application of the constructed tool in designing new rail-vehicles construction solutions for rail-vehicles produced by Polish manufacturers. Our team has many contacts with rail-vehicle manufacturers in Poland who seem interested in the implementation of new solutions in their construction designs.