Comparative analysis of dynamic reaction forces for different tram vehicle carriage systems in on-curve motion

Multibody system dynamics formulas are well-known tools for robot dynamics examination. Concurrently they can be used to predict dynamics of road vehicles, too. Nevertheless, the multibody dynamics method is still calling for new applications. A rail transport, especially the tram transportation, which is a very popular element of mass urban transport, can be seen as a very interesting application. It should be emphasised that in comparison with trains or underground, the tram vehicles work conditions are restrained by a larger number of outside limitations. There is some literature about the rail transportation dynamics available. However, the majority of it is devoted to the behaviour characteristic for trains. In the present paper a dynamic analysis of the railway vehicles bogies, under conditions characteristic for the urban transportation is carried out. Calculation methods for various bogie types have been discussed. A special attention has been paid to the problem of choosing an appropriate dynamic model and a model of wheel-rail contact reactions. Behaviour of the bogies entering a curve of a small radius has been studied. The bogie classification criterion was the wheel-rail contact interactions; the aim was to find a bogie with the smallest actions on the rail. The results of computer simulation allowed us to identify the basic physical phenomena affecting the rail and the wheel and to assess analysed constructional designs.