Integrated tilt with active lateral secondary suspension control for high speed railway vehicles

• Published in: Mechatronics (Oxford) Vol. 21; no. 6; pp. 1108 - 1122
• Main Authors: Zhou, Ronghui, Zolotas, Argyrios, Goodall, Roger
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: Active control; Active lateral suspension control; Applied sciences; Camber; Computer science; control theory; systems; Control system synthesis; Control theory. Systems; Estimator-based control; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); High speed; Machine components; Mechanical engineering. Machine design; Modelling and identification; Physics; Railroad tracks; Railway engineering; Railway vehicle dynamics; Solid mechanics; Springs and dampers; Strategy; Structural and continuum mechanics; Tilt; Tilt control system; Vehicles; Vibration, mechanical wave, dynamic stability (aeroelasticity, vibration control...); Estimator-based control; Active lateral suspension control; Railway vehicle dynamics; Tilt control system; Vehicle turning; Tilting; Curve; Control synthesis; Rail vehicle; Car body; Experimental study; Vehicle dynamics; Modeling; Tilt angle; Vehicle suspension; Active system; Vehicle direction; Observer; High speed train; Tilting vehicle; Tilt; System identification; Roll; Bending vibration
• ISSN: 0957-4158; 1873-4006
• DOI: 10.1016/j.mechatronics.2011.07.001

This paper presents a novel active suspension control configuration for high speed tilting railway vehicles which integrates tilt with active lateral secondary suspension. The use of the active lateral secondary suspension is to attenuate the vehicle body lateral vibration on straight track, while complementing tilt action during curving. Various control strategies are proposed to accommodate both tilt and active lateral suspension multiple design requirements, whilst considering the strong interaction between vehicle body roll and lateral modes. Compared with the commercial solutions for tilt control, the proposed integration strategy improves the tilting control performance both on curved and straight track as illustrated by simulation tests and control assessments based on given track profiles.