Dynamic features and wind-resistant strategy of suspended monorail vehicle-track beam systems subjected to turbulent wind

Abstract

Suspended monorail vehicles (SMV), hung beneath box beams with open bottoms, exhibit significant transverse wobble when exposed to turbulent winds, markedly impacting passenger comfort. This study presents an effective methodology for comprehensively evaluating the dynamical behavior of suspended monorail vehicle-track beam systems (SMVTBS) under wind action. First, based on the multi-rigid body dynamics theory and finite element method, an integrated vehicle-track beam interaction model is established. Then, by applying the auto-regressive (AR) linear filtering method, a turbulent wind velocity field with inherent correlations is adequately simulated through a stochastic process, which is later converted into wind force acting on both the track beam and vehicles. On this basis, the vibration responses of the SMVTBS with and without wind actions are compared, and the effects of the wind load on the vehicle-track beam dynamical behavior are revealed. Furthermore, to improve the wind-resistant performance of the SMV, several crucial design parameters are reasonably selected and effective wind-resistant strategies are proposed. Finally, the dynamic performance of the SMV is evaluated under wind action, and suitable train running speeds were recommended at different wind velocities to guarantee vehicle riding comfort. The research results can provide useful guidance for the design and operation of SMVTBS against crosswinds.