Wagon model acceptance procedure using Australian standards

The current Australian Rail Industry Safety & Standards Board (RISSB) standards allow new railway vehicle designs to be assessed using validated modelling techniques and recognised multi-body simulation tools (particularly NUCARS, VAMPIRE and GENSYS) in place of physical testing. Unfortunately guidance that ensures a validated wagon model acceptance procedure does not presently exist. Although these current standards outline the tests required for simulations they do not describe the requirements for a wagon model acceptance procedure in detail. This study is concerned with creating a wagon multi-body simulation model acceptance procedure that is suitable for use with RISSB/Australian standard AS7509.2. The tests contained within the procedure were defined after a review of relevant Australian standards, international standards and multi-body software manuals was conducted. A few case studies are then given to show how the proposed methodology can be implemented on a sample model of an ore wagon.