Assessment of Running Safety of Railway Vehicles using Multibody Dynamics

An analysis model for multibody systems was developed to assess the running safety of the Saemaeul train passing through curves. Sensitivity analyses based on the variation of parameters related to derailments were conducted using this model and the ADAMS/Rail software package. These analyses showed that the derailment coefficient and the unload ratio of the right wheel were higher than that of the left wheel at low speed, but lower at high speed. The derailment coefficient and the unload ratio increased as the curve radius decreased. The derailment coefficient increased but there was no change in the unload ratio as the length of transition curves increased. The derailment coefficient and the unload rate increased in proportion to the increase in track cant.