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Active Radial Steering Suspension for Rail Vehicles (ARSS)
The aim of the ARSS project is to develop an active radius steering suspension system. It is for use in a new bogie design or for retrofitting to an existing bogie to reduce wheel and track wear.
Project leader
Dr Christian Ulianov
Dates
October 2017 to June 2020
Project staff
Dr Petr Voltr
Dr P Hyde
Dr A Onat
Sponsors
Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB)
Partners
Grand Central Railway Company Limited (project coordinator)
Liebherr Transportation Systems
Description
The purpose of the active system is to improve curving performance of rail vehicles. We do this through radius steering depending on track curvature. We design the ARSS as a simple and robust system. It is for implementing in new bogies, as well as retrofitting existing ones.
The novel technology uses an electro-hydraulic system, developed and manufactured by Liebherr. Used for aerospace applications to steer wheelsets on rail vehicle bogies in curves, it reduces wear of wheels and rails.
The reduction of track wear is of particular significance. Track wear is a notable contributor to the Variable Usage Charge (VUC). Train operators pay VUC to operate trains on the UK rail infrastructure. We expect the ARSS solution to reduce track wear. The project aims to confirm this and contribute to potential reduction of VUC.
We model the bogie and simulation of vehicle dynamics and wheel-rail interaction. This provides essential inputs into the technology development and validation.
The modelling and simulations are key to reducing impacts on the track. This supports the reduction of VUC. If successful the ARSS will be available for commercial use by Liebherr in the UK and world markets.