Wheelset curving guidance using H_∞ control

ABSTRACT

This study shows how to design an active suspension system for guidance of a rail vehicle wheelset in curve. The main focus of the study is on designing the controller and afterwards studying its effect on the wheel wear behaviour. The controller is designed based on the closed-loop transfer function shaping method and control strategy. The study discusses designing of the controller for both nominal and uncertain plants and considers both stability and performance. The designed controllers in Simulink are then applied to the vehicle model in Simpack to study the wheel wear behaviour in curve. The vehicle type selected for this study is a two-axle rail vehicle. This is because this type of vehicle is known to have very poor curving performance and high wheel wear. On the other hand, the relative simpler structure of this type of vehicle compared to bogie vehicles make it a more economic choice. Hence, equipping this type of vehicle with the active wheelset steering is believed to show high enough benefit to cost ratio to remain attractive to rail vehicle manufacturers and operators.

KEYWORDS:

• Active suspension
• actuated solid wheelset
• shaping closed-loop transfer function
• control
• two-axle rail vehicle
• wear

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Alireza Qazizadeh http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0875-3520

Sebastian Stichel  http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8237-5847