WIND PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION OVER A RAILWAY BOGIE

Abstract

Wind has been known to destabilise railway trains both running and stationary. The former have the net effect of change in the relative angle of wind incidence, besides vertical and racking vibrations present in the railway trains. Studies in wind-tunnel are usually performed to investigate the stability of bogies in winds, since prototype measurements are difficult. A review of the literature shows several such studies. Since a number of parameters are involved in determining the stability- of the railway bogies, a programme to study wind effects on a typical bogie of the Indian railway was undertaken as part of the M.E. thesis. A 1:60 scale model of a sleeper class bogie was made in perspex and tested in the large wind tunnel in the Department of Civil Engineering , U. OR, for simulated wind and terrain conditions. Measurements of pressures at 16 points in each of the 7 sections of the bogie have been made and its stability analysed for location of the train on embankment as well as on a bridge. Window opening and wind directions have been varied. Critical conditions have been identified and summarised in the conclusions.