Theoretical Prediction of Impact Force Acting on Derailment Containment Provisions (DCPs)

Abstract

This study proposes a theoretical method to estimate the impact force of Derailment Containment Provisions (DCPs) for the prevention of secondary collisions in the event of a train derailment. By comparing the impact forces estimated using the commonly used Olson model and dynamic simulations, the study identifies significant differences in average and maximum impact forces. The study shows that these differences arise due to the mass effects of vehicle bodies transmitted to the DCP during a collision. To address this issue, the impact force of the Olson model was modified by considering the stiffness of suspensions between masses as a simplified spring–mass model. The modified impact force was verified through impact simulations using the KTX model on curved tracks with various radii. The results show that the modified Olson model provides a reasonable estimate of the impact force, with differences of less than 8% observed under all simulation conditions. This study provides a valuable contribution to the design and analysis methodology for DCPs, improving their effectiveness in preventing secondary collisions and enhancing railway safety.

Simplified Dynamic FEA Simulation for Post-Derailment Train-Behaviour Estimation through the Enhanced Input of Wheel–Ballast Friction Interactions

“…In addition, it was confirmed that the displacements in the driving direction of the following cars from vehicle number four were more significant than the actual accident. This is because, due to the nature of this simplified model, structural friction and detailed characteristics, such as structural friction between vehicle wheels, rails, and components, and energy dissipation due to vehicle and connection failure, are not reflected in the actual railroad track environment [15][16][17][18]. Furthermore, although the total displacement after the derailment of the first vehicle differed from that in the real accident, an analysis of lateral acceleration indicated that the possible moment of overturn occurred at 4.8 s in Figure 12, and the displacement of the first vehicle at that time was 136.78 m. This difference can be attributed to the characteristics of the model, which do not consider the sudden deceleration and behaviour due to overturning.…”

“…However, reproducing high-speed situations is uneconomical and challenging owing to the relatively large size of railway systems compared to that of other systems. Therefore, small-scale laboratory experiments are being conducted to investigate derailment behaviour using reduced-scale experiments for vehicles under low-speed conditions [15][16][17][18]. An alternative to simulation studies is field experiments.…”

Feasibility Study of Steel Derailment Containment Provisions through Quasi-Static Experiments

“…Lim et al suggested a modeling method for gravel-filled track ballast, simulating a ballast-wheel collision to study structural responses and impact forces from a derailed train [34]. Song et al presented a theoretical approach to predict impact loads on reinforced concrete (RC) DCP Type I for HSR and proposed a simplified finite element (FE) model to assess dynamic post-derailment behavior [35]. Bae et al carried out a full-scale train derailment test to analyze the train's post-derailment behavior and evaluate the performance of RC DCP Type III [36].…”

Analysis of Lateral Forces for Assessment of Safety against Derailment of the Specialized Train Composition for the Transportation of Long Rails

“…This is the reason why these elements are the subject of a few current studies [2][3][4][5], in which analytical, numerical, and experimental methods related to wheel and rail wear and the derailment phenomenon have been proposed and analyzed. A significant concern in modern publications is the elucidation of the derailment mechanism [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13], in which new factors related to the process are introduced. Their reasons are logical since the phenomenon of derailment is a not infrequent event in the modern reality of railway transport and is associated with serious material damage and casualties.…”

“…This is performed using Equation (11) and the calculated value is equal to 1.0698. According to [28], when using the theoretical assessment methods, the limit value of 1.2 is reduced by 10%, which means that the limit value of Nadal's criterion should be set to 1.08 and compared with the calculated value, as shown in Equation (12).…”