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  • Shuanbao Yao, Dawei Chen, Sansan Ding
    Railway Sciences. 2022, 1(2): 273-288.
    Purpose

    The nose length is the key design parameter affecting the aerodynamic performance of high-speed maglev train, and the horizontal profile has a significant impact on the aerodynamic lift of the leading and trailing cars Hence, the study analyzes aerodynamic parameters with multi-objective optimization design.

    Design/methodology/approach

    The nose of normal temperature and normal conduction high-speed maglev train is divided into streamlined part and equipment cabin according to its geometric characteristics. Then the modified vehicle modeling function (VMF) parameterization method and surface discretization method are adopted for the parametric design of the nose. For the 12 key design parameters extracted, combined with computational fluid dynamics (CFD), support vector machine (SVR) model and multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MPSO) algorithm, the multi-objective aerodynamic optimization design of high-speed maglev train nose and the sensitivity analysis of design parameters are carried out with aerodynamic drag coefficient of the whole vehicle and the aerodynamic lift coefficient of the trailing car as the optimization objectives and the aerodynamic lift coefficient of the leading car as the constraint. The engineering improvement and wind tunnel test verification of the optimized shape are done.

    Findings

    Results show that the parametric design method can use less design parameters to describe the nose shape of high-speed maglev train. The prediction accuracy of the SVR model with the reduced amount of calculation and improved optimization efficiency meets the design requirements.

    Originality/value

    Compared with the original shape, the aerodynamic drag coefficient of the whole vehicle is reduced by 19.2%, and the aerodynamic lift coefficients of the leading and trailing cars are reduced by 24.8 and 51.3%, respectively, after adopting the optimized shape modified according to engineering design requirements.

  • Maorui Hou, Fengshou Liu, Xiaoyi Hu
    Railway Sciences. 2022, 1(2): 289-306.
    Purpose

    In order to systematically grasp the changes and matching characteristics of wheel and rail profiles of high speed railway (HSR) in China, 172 rail profile measurement points and 384 wheels of 6 high-speed electric motive unites (EMUs) were selected on 6 typical HSR lines, including Beijing-Shanghai, Wuhan-Guangzhou, Harbin-Dalian, Lanzhou-Xinjiang, Guiyang-Guangzhou and Dandong-Dalian for a two-year field test.

    Design/methodology/approach

    Based on the measured data, the characteristics of rail and wheel wear were analyzed by mathematical statistics method. The equivalent conicity of wheel and rail matching in a wheel reprofiling cycle was analyzed by using the measured rail profile.

    Findings

    Results showed that when the curve radius of HSR was larger than 2,495 m, the wear rate of straight line and curve rail was almost the same. For the line with annual traffic gross weight less than 11 Mt, the vertical wear of rail was less than 0.01 mm. The wear rate of the rail with the curve radius less than 800 m increased obviously. The wheel tread wear of EMUs on Harbin-Dalian line, Lanzhou-Xinjiang line and Dandong-Dalian line was relatively large, and the average wear rate of tread was about 0.05-0.06 mm$(10,000 km)-1, while that of Beijing-Shanghai line, Wuhan-Guangzhou line and Guiyang-Guangzhou line was about 0.03-0.035 mm·(10,000 km)-1. When the wear range was small, the equivalent conicity increased with the increase of wheel tread wear. When the wear range of wheel was wide, the wheel-rail contact points were evenly distributed, and the equivalent conicity did not increase obviously.

    Originality/value

    This research proposes the distribution range of the equivalent conicity in one reprofiling cycle of various EMU trains, which provides guidance for the condition-based wheel reprofiling.

  • Jindong Song, Jingbao Zhu, Shanyou Li
    Railway Sciences. 2022, 1(2): 307-323.
    Purpose

    Using the strong motion data of K-net in Japan, the continuous magnitude prediction method based on support vector machine (SVM) was studied.

    Design/methodology/approach

    In the range of 0.5-10.0 s after the P-wave arrival, the prediction time window was established at an interval of 0.5 s. 12 P-wave characteristic parameters were selected as the model input parameters to construct the earthquake early warning (EEW) magnitude prediction model (SVM-HRM) for high-speed railway based on SVM.

    Findings

    The magnitude prediction results of the SVM-HRM model were compared with the traditional magnitude prediction model and the high-speed railway EEW current norm. Results show that at the 3.0 s time window, the magnitude prediction error of the SVM-HRM model is obviously smaller than that of the traditional τc method and Pd method. The overestimation of small earthquakes is obviously improved, and the construction of the model is not affected by epicenter distance, so it has generalization performance. For earthquake events with the magnitude range of 3-5, the single station realization rate of the SVM-HRM model reaches 95% at 0.5 s after the arrival of P-wave, which is better than the first alarm realization rate norm required by "The Test Method of EEW and Monitoring System for High-Speed Railway." For earthquake events with magnitudes ranging from 3 to 5, 5 to 7 and 7 to 8, the single station realization rate of the SVM-HRM model is at 0.5 s, 1.5 s and 0.5 s after the P-wave arrival, respectively, which is better than the realization rate norm of multiple stations.

    Originality/value

    At the latest, 1.5 s after the P-wave arrival, the SVM-HRM model can issue the first earthquake alarm that meets the norm of magnitude prediction realization rate, which meets the accuracy and continuity requirements of high-speed railway EEW magnitude prediction.

  • Xinjun Zhou
    Railway Sciences. 2022, 1(2): 324-344.
    Purpose

    Under the dual pressure of resources and environment, many countries have focused on the role of railways in promoting low-carbon development of integrated transportation and of even the whole society. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive study on methods to improve railway energy efficiency in other national railways and achievements made by China's railways in the past practice, and then to propose ways in which in the future China's railways could rationally select the path of improving energy efficiency regarding the needs of the nation's ever-shifting development and carry out the re-engineering for mechanism innovation in energy conservation and emission reduction process.

    Design/methodology/approach

    This paper first studies other national railways that have tried to promote the improvement of railway energy efficiency by the ways of technology, management and structural reconstruction to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. Among them, the effect of structural energy conservation and emission reduction has become more prominent. It has become the main energy conservation and emission reduction measure adopted by foreign railway sectors. The practice of energy conservation and emission reduction of railways in various countries has tended to shift from a technical level to a structural one.

    Findings

    Key aspects in improving energy efficiency include re-optimization of energy structure, reinnovation of energy-saving technologies and optimization of transportation organization. Path selection includes continuing to promote electrified railway construction, increasing the use of new and renewable energy sources, and promoting the reform of railway transportation organizations.

    Originality/value

    This paper provides further challenges and research directions in the proposed area and has referential value for the methodologies, approaches for practice in a Chinese context. To achieve the expected goals, relevant supporting policies and measures need to be formulated, including actively guiding integrated transportation toward railway-oriented development, promoting innovation in energy-saving and emission reduction mechanisms and strengthening policy incentives, focusing on improving the energy efficiency of railways through market behavior. At the same time, it is necessary to pay attention to new phenomena in the railway industry for track and analysis.

  • Yangsheng Ye, Degou Cai, Lin Geng, Hongye Yan, Junkai Yao, Feng Chen
    Railway Sciences. 2022, 1(1): 1-15.
    Purpose

    This study aims to propose a semiempirical and semitheoretical cyclic compaction constitutive model of coarse-grained soil filler for the high-speed railway (HSR) subgrade under cyclic load.

    Design/methodology/approach

    According to the basic framework of critical state soil mechanics and in view of the characteristics of the coarse-grained soil filler for the HSR subgrade to bear the train vibration load repeatedly for a long time, the hyperbolic empirical relationship between particle breakage and plastic work was derived. Considering the influence of cyclic vibration time and stress ratio, the particle breakage correction function of coarse-grained soil filler for the HSR subgrade under cyclic load was proposed. According to the classical theory of plastic mechanics, the shearing dilatation equation of the coarse-grained soil filler for the HSR subgrade considering particle breakage was modified and obtained. A semiempirical and semitheoretical cyclic compaction constitutive model of coarse-grained soil filler for the HSR subgrade under cyclic load was further established. The backward Euler method was used to discretize the constitutive equation, build a numerical algorithm of "elastic prediction and plastic modification" and make a secondary development of the program to solve the cyclic compaction model.

    Findings

    Through the comparison with the result of laboratory triaxial test under the cyclic loading of coarse-grained soil filler for the HSR subgrade, the accuracy and applicability of the cyclic compaction model were verified. Results show that the model can accurately predict the cumulative deformation characteristics of coarse-grained soil filler for the HSR subgrade under the train vibration loading repeatedly for a long time. It considers the effects of particle breakage and stress ratio, which can be used to calculate and analyze the stress and deformation evolution law of the subgrade structure for HSR.

    Originality/value

    The research can provide a simple and practical method for calculating deformation of railway under cyclic loading.

  • Hao Li, Jialin Sun, Guotang Zhao
    Railway Sciences. 2022, 1(1): 16-39.
    Purpose

    With the help of multi-body dynamics software UM, the paper uses Kik-Piotrowski model to simulate wheel-rail contact and Archard wear model for rail wear.

    Design/methodology/approach

    The CRH5 vehicle-track coupling dynamics model is constructed for the wear study of rails of small radius curves, namely 200 and 350 m in Guangzhou East EMU Depot and those 250 and 300 m radius in Taiyuan South EMU Depot.

    Findings

    Results show that the rail wear at the straight-circle point, the curve center point and the circle-straight point follows the order of center point > the circle-straight point > the straight-circle point. The wear on rail of small radius curves intensifies with the rise of running speed, and the wearing trend tends to fasten as the curve radius declines. The maximum rail wear of the inner rail can reach 2.29 mm, while that of the outer rail, 10.11 mm.

    Originality/value

    With the increase of the train passing number, the wear range tends to expand. The rail wear decreases with the increase of the curve radius. The dynamic response of vehicle increases with the increase of rail wear, among which the derailment coefficient is affected the most. When the number of passing vehicles reaches 1 million, the derailment coefficient exceeds the limit value, which poses a risk of derailment.

  • Yongliang Zhang, Jibei Ma, Xingchong Chen, Yun Wang
    Railway Sciences. 2022, 1(1): 40-55.
    Purpose

    Under different ground motion excitation modes, the spatial coupling effect of seismic response for the arch bridge with thrust, seismic weak parts and the internal force components of the control section of main arch ribs are analyzed.

    Design/methodology/approach

    Taking a 490 m deck type railway steel truss arch bridge as the background, the dynamic calculation model of the whole bridge was established by SAP2000 software. The seismic response analyses under one-, two- and three-dimension (1D, 2D and 3D) uniform ground motion excitations were carried out.

    Findings

    For the steel truss arch bridge composed of multiple arch ribs, any single direction ground motion excitation will cause large axial force in the chord of arch rib. The axial force caused by transverse and vertical ground motion excitation in the chord of arch crown area is 1.4-3.6 times of the corresponding axial force under longitudinal seismic excitation. The in-plane bending moment caused by the lower chord at the vault is 4.2-5.5 times of the corresponding bending moment under the longitudinal seismic excitation. For the bottom chord of arch rib, the arch foot is the weak part of earthquake resistance, but for the upper chord of arch rib, the arch foot, arch crown and the intersection of column and upper chord can all be the potential earthquake-resistant weak parts. The normal stress of the bottom chord of the arch rib under multidimensional excitation is mainly caused by the axial force, but the normal stress of the upper chord of the arch rib is caused by the axial force, in-plane and out of plane bending moment.

    Originality/value

    The research provides specific suggestions for ground motion excitation mode and also provides reference information for the earthquake-resistant weak part and seismic design of long-span deck type railway steel truss arch bridges.

  • Ao Li, Dingli Zhang, Zhenyu Sun, Jun Huang, Fei Dong
    Railway Sciences. 2022, 1(1): 56-75.
    Purpose

    The microseismic monitoring technique has great advantages on identifying the location, extent and the mechanism of damage process occurring in rock mass. This study aims to analyze distribution characteristics and the evolution law of excavation damage zone of surrounding rock based on microseismic monitoring data.

    Design/methodology/approach

    In situ test using microseismic monitoring technique is carried out in the large-span transition tunnel of Badaling Great Wall Station of Beijing-Zhangjiakou high-speed railway. An intelligent microseismic monitoring system is built with symmetry monitoring point layout both on the mountain surface and inside the tunnel to achieve three-dimensional and all-round monitoring results.

    Findings

    Microseismic events can be divided into high density area, medium density area and low density area according to the density distribution of microseismic events. The positions where the cumulative distribution frequencies of microseismic events are 60 and 80% are identified as the boundaries between high and medium density areas and between medium and low density areas, respectively. The high density area of microseismic events is regarded as the high excavation damage zone of surrounding rock, which is affected by the grade of surrounding rock and the span of tunnel. The prediction formulas for the depth of high excavation damage zone of surrounding rock at different tunnel positions are given considering these two parameters. The scale of the average moment magnitude parameters of microseismic events is adopted to describe the damage degree of surrounding rock. The strong positive correlation and multistage characteristics between the depth of excavation damage zone and deformation of surrounding rock are revealed. Based on the depth of high excavation damage zone of surrounding rock, the prestressed anchor cable (rod) is designed, and the safety of anchor cable (rod) design parameters is verified by the deformation results of surrounding rock.

    Originality/value

    The research provides a new method to predict the surrounding rock damage zone of large-span tunnel and also provides a reference basis for design parameters of prestressed anchor cable (rod).

  • Chongyi Chang, Yuanwu Cai, Bo Chen, Qiuze Li, Pengfei Lin
    Railway Sciences. 2022, 1(1): 76-89.
    Purpose

    In service, the periodic clashes of wheel flat against the rail result in large wheel/rail impact force and high-frequency vibration, leading to severe damage on the wheelset, rail and track structure. This study aims to analyze characteristics and dynamic impact law of wheel and rail caused by wheel flat of high-speed trains.

    Design/methodology/approach

    A full-scale high-speed wheel/rail interface test rig was used for the test of the dynamic impact of wheel/rail caused by wheel flat of high-speed train. With wheel flats of different lengths, widths and depths manually set around the rolling circle of the wheel tread, and wheel/rail dynamic impact tests to the flats in the speed range of 0-400 km/h on the rig were conducted.

    Findings

    As the speed goes up, the flat induced the maximum of the wheel/rail dynamic impact force increases rapidly before it reaches its limit at the speed of around 35 km/h. It then goes down gradually as the speed continues to grow. The impact of flat wheel on rail leads to 100-500 Hz middle-frequency vibration, and around 2,000 Hz and 6,000 Hz high-frequency vibration. In case of any wheel flat found during operation, the train speed shall be controlled according to the status of the flat and avoid the running speed of 20 km/h-80 km/h as much as possible.

    Originality/value

    The research can provide a new method to obtain the dynamic impact of wheel/rail caused by wheel flat by a full-scale high-speed wheel/rail interface test rig. The relations among the flat size, the running speed and the dynamic impact are hopefully of reference to the building of speed limits for HSR wheel flat of different degrees.

  • Qiwen Xue, Xiuyun Du
    Railway Sciences. 2022, 1(1): 90-97.
    Purpose

    In view of the difficulty in determining the key parameters d in the Corten-Dolan model, based on the introduction of small loads, damage degrees and stress states to the Corten-Dolan model and the existing improved model, the sequential effects of the adjacent two-stage load were further considered.

    Design/methodology/approach

    Two improved Corten-Dolan models were established on the basis of modifying the parameter d by two different methods, namely, increasing stress ratio coefficient as well as considering the effects of loading sequence and damage degree as independent influencing factors respectively. According to the test data of the welded joints of common materials (standard 45 steel), alloy materials (standard 16Mn steel) and Q235B steel, the validity and feasibility of the above two improved models for fatigue life prediction were verified.

    Findings

    Results show that, compared with the traditional Miner model and the existing Corten-Dolan improved model, the two improved models have higher prediction accuracy in the fatigue life prediction of welding materials whether under two-stage load or multi-stage load.

    Originality/value

    Because the mathematical expressions of the models are relatively simple and need no multi-layer iterative calculation, it is convenient to predict the fatigue life of welded structure in practical engineering.