Wheel-rail contact modelling for real-time adhesion estimation systems with consideration of bogie dynamics

Information about the adhesion condition in wheel-rail contact during railway operations is required to characterise the braking and traction which are key factors in railway performance and safety issues. Adhesion estimation is a methodical process which requires mathematical models of crucial processes. As a part of this development, the wheel-rail interface process needs to be modelled at the initial stage. A real-time multipoint wheel-rail contact model is developed in the Matlab software environment using a modular approach. Additionally, a simplified friction condition estimation algorithm is implemented to determine friction condition between wheels and rails. The friction condition information is further implemented in a Matlab contact model to determine the actual adhesion coefficient. Finally, a bogie test rig is developed in the Gensys multibody simulation tool to validate the Matlab contact model. The contact model gives realistic results during numerical investigations. The friction condition algorithm is able to handle the change in slip under varying friction conditions which indicates the robustness of the algorithm. © 2018 TU Delft.