Railroad Vehicle Dynamics - A Computational Approach




Preface

The methods of computational mechanics have been used extensively in modeling

many physical systems, including machines, vehicles, mechanisms and robotics,

space structures, and biomechanical and biological systems, among many others.

Multibody system techniques, in particular, have been used successfully in the study

of various and fundamentally different applications. This success can be attributed

to the generality and flexibility of these techniques, which facilitate tailoring the

general formulations to a specific application. The aim of this book is to present a

computational multibody system approach that can be used to develop complex

models of railroad vehicle systems that include significant details. One of the important

features that distinguish railroad vehicle

systems from other multibody system

applications

is the vehicle/rail

(guide) interaction. Special force or kinematic constraint

elements must be included in the multibody system algorithm if the vehicle/rail

interaction is to be accurately modeled. To


accomplish this goal, interesting

geometric problems that are particular to railroad vehicle systems must be addressed

and solved. By considering these additional geometric variables, which are required

to describe the vehicle/rail interaction, multibody system formulations can be modified

and improved

for use in the analysis of detailed railroad vehicle

models.


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