Integrating Longitudinal Train Dynamics Simulations Within Multibody Models

This paper shows a novel approach for the integration of longitudinal train dynamics within the multibody formalism. The strategy relies on the definition of a dummy user force element, demanded to solve the dynamic states of several hidden vehicles in the train consist and to evaluate the in-train forces. The approach is validated against the LTDPoliTo code in simulation scenarios defined by an international benchmarking activity. Furthermore, the novel method is compared against multibody models with one body per each vehicle in the train, proving to have superior computational performances. Therefore, the novel approach is suitable for the development of detailed multibody models of railway vehicles while accounting for the effect of the in-train forces on the running safety, with no need for co-simulation architectures that can slow down the simulation times.