Simulations of dynamic systems
Virtual testing for valuable data
To monitor the performance of a technical system, you can collect field data during its operation. This approach however can prove to be risky and does not always enable the maintenance engineer to sufficiently anticipate problems. Ideally, you want to identify potential problems in advance, so they can be addressed before they actually take place. If you want an advance insight into expected vehicle-track system behaviour, simulations are the solution for you. CERTIFER simulations facilitate the virtual testing of systems, modifications to vehicles and new track designs.
A simulation can be defined as a digital recreation, often of an existing situation. CERTIFER uses a simulation package that has been developed and optimised specifically for the railway industry. It gives you a cost-effective analysis of the performance and safety of rail vehicles as well as track behaviour. Besides wear and fatigue behaviour, we can evaluate and test other aspects as well. For example, the extent to which rolling stock is likely to cause squeal noise, how the vehicle design contributes to the passengers’ comfort level and to the derailment safety, and the expected crash behaviour. We also offer force measurement simulations that can be used outside the rail sector.
Secure and cost-effective data collections
Suppose your organisation wants to buy a new metro vehicle. Before you complete the acquisition, you want to assess whether it would actually be compliant with your situation and demands and have a number of questions answered. For example: What impact would the vehicle have on the infrastructure? What effect would this have on the wear and fatigue behaviour of rails and wheels? Which maintenance costs would this result in? Using our evaluation method, CERTIFER can help you answer these questions.
CERTIFER can also assess high-risk situations in a safe and controlled manner – situations that could result in derailment, for example. You can use the simulation data obtained to optimise your asset lifecycle management. Simulations put you in a position to make the right decisions about your rolling stock, systems and components at the start of or during their lifecycle.
Benefits of simulations
- You gain an insight into parameters that would not be very hard to obtain in the field. For example, slip forces and the associated wear load between a wheel and the rail.
- You can reduce the number of test runs (which are often expensive).
- You can test situations that you could not test in the field because of the safety risks they involve.
- You will use your assets sustainably by not damaging them in a test.
- You will be able to study a large number of situations in a relatively short space of time.
- You can run simulations for different variables that affect the vehicle-track system behaviour. To return to the example of the new metro vehicle, a simulation shows you how the following variables affect vehicle behaviour:
- speed of the vehicle
- shape of the wheel profile
- lubrication between wheels and the rails
- suspension design
- wind force
Insights via CERTIFER simulations
Simulations enable us to study various aspects:
Rail/track
- wear
- noise
- alignment
- rail profile
Failure simulation/fatigue test
- derailment analysis
- loading conditions (rolling contact fatigue)
- cargo (the influence of loads/weight on failure)
- collisions
Vehicles
- wear
- comfort
- noise
- strength
- the impact of collisions
- wheel profile
Aerodynamics
- vehicle resistance
- tunnel (interior comfort)
- platform (safety)
Dynamic running behaviour
- tailored to the client’s specific situation
- a digital copy of reality
From simulation model to insight
A CERTIFER expert will start by organising a meeting with you to establish the most and accurate simulation for you. So, we outline your baseline situation together. If necessary, our expert will also carry out an additional investigation to identify the context for your simulation. This ensures that the ultimate simulation is the best reflection possible of your wishes. It will recreate your situation and include all relevant details.
CERTIFER uses a number of validated systems and (calculation) models to perform simulations. Various simulations are possible as a result. Armed with the results of the simulation, the CERTIFER expert will give you a clear insight into the possibilities and impossibilities of your situation. You will then be able to make well-informed decisions in the acqusition of new assets.
The benefits CERTIFER has to offer
- expert in asset lifecycle management
- tailor-made simulations
- multidisciplinary approach and techniques
- one-stop shop with various packages, methods and tools, including the:
- Vampire Pro validated multi body simulation package;
- Final Element Method (FEM);
- BODYSIM tool, which CERTIFER developed in house and has been validated by means of an international benchmark. CERTIFER uses this tool to study the longitudinal dynamics and crash behaviour of trains;
- Tools for determining the speed development under the influence of curves and gradients and for determining the stability of continuous welded track.
