A curving simulation for a monorail car

Abstract

A curving simulation for a straddle-type monorail car has been developed. It uses a moving coordinate system defined by the positions of the guide tires tracing along the guideway. An algorithm for deriving the equation of motion for the curving simulation was devised by using a multi-body dynamics method taking account of the forced input from the guideway to the truck though the tires. Tire models, accounting for both the radial tire forces on each tire and the side forces on the running tires, were also derived. The curving dynamics of a monorail car was simulated by using these dynamic models. This simulation shows that the radial tire forces of the guide tires on the leading truck are larger than those on the trailing truck because the directions of the yaw moment generated by the air-spring forces on the leading truck are different from those on the trailing truck, while the directions of the yaw moment generated by side forces are identical.