Using Full Scale Experiments to Verify a Simulation Used to Analyze the Safety of Rail Vehicles During Large Earthquakes

Abstract

A simulation model is used to calculate the rocking motion of a vehicle and how antiderailing guard rails work to prevent derailment when subject to large ground excitation and the results are verified through full scale testing. (1) The simple vehicle–track model should properly represent the rocking mechanism. (2) The effect of vehicle speed on the wheel/rail slide is also properly represented, thus the wheel/rail creep law model can be applied to the analysis of a running vehicle experiencing large rocking motion. (3) The action of the guard rail was equal in both the simulation and the full scale test, thus indicating that the simple antiderailing guard rail model sufficiently represents the dynamic interaction of the wheel/guard rail and the effect.