Numerical procedures for reliable wheel and rail wear prediction are rare. Recent development of simulation techniques and computer power together with tribological knowledge do however suggest computer aided wear prediction as possible. The present objective is to devise a numerical procedure able to simulate profile evolution due to uniform wear sufficiently accurate for application to vehicle dynamics simulation. Such a tool should be useful for maintenance planning, optimisation of the railway system and its components as well as trouble-shooting. More specifically, the field of application may include estimation of reprofiling frequency, optimisation of wheel – rail profile match, optimisation of running gear suspension parameters, and recognition of unfavourable profile evolution influencing the dynamic response of the vehicle. The research contribution accounted for in this thesis includes, besides a literature review, modelling of the wheel – rail interface, benchmarking against traditional methods, and validation with respect to full-scale measurements. The first part addresses wheel – rail contact conditions in the context of wear simulation as well as tribological environment and tractive forces. The current approach includes Archard’s wear model with associated wear maps, vehicle dynamics simulation, and railway network definition. One objective is to be able to include variations in operation conditions in the set of simulations instead of using scaling factors. In particular the influence of disc braking and varying lubrication conditions have been investigated. Both environmental factors like moist and contamination and deliberate lubrication need to be considered. As part of the associated contact analysis the influence of tangential elastic deformation of the contacting surfaces has been investigated and found to be essential in case of partial slip contact conditions. The influence on the calculated wear of replacing the Hertzian contact by a non-elliptic semi-Hertzian method has been investigated, showing relocation of material loss towards increased profile curvature. In the second part comparisons have been carried out with traditional methods, where the material loss is assumed to be directly related to the energy dissipated in the contact. Attention has been paid to the understanding of the principle differences between the investigated methods, comparing the distribution of friction energy, sliding velocity, and wear depth. As a prerequisite, contact conditions with dependence on wheelset guidance and curving performance as well as influence of tractive forces have been investigated. In the final part validation of the developments related to wheel wear simulation is addressed. Disc braking has been included and a wear map for moist contact conditions based on recent tests has been drafted. Good agreement with measurements from the reference operation, is achieved. Further a procedure for simulation of rail wear and corresponding profile evolution has been formulated. A simulation set is selected defining the vehicles running on the track to be investigated, their operating conditions, and contact parameters. Trial calculations of a few curves show qualitatively good results in terms of profile shape development and difference in wear mechanisms between gauge corner and rail head. The wear rates related to traffic tonnage are however overestimated. The impact of the model improvements accounted for in the first part of the thesis has been investigated, indicating directions for further development. / QC 20110124

The research presented in this thesis has identified and developed a sophisticated computer model for the analysis of railway track dynamic behaviour to be used by the Rail Cooperative Research Centre for Railway Engineering and Technologies (Rail CRC) in Australia. To be competitive railway track owners need to extract as much performance as possible from their asset without serviceability or catastrophic failure. Railway track designers therefore need to develop more knowledge of the static and dynamic loadings that track may be subjected to in its lifetime. This would be best undertaken using computer modelling capable of quantifying the effects of train speed, traffic mix, wheel impact loading and distribution of vehicle loads into the track. A comprehensive set of criteria for the selection of a model of track dynamic behaviour was developed. An international review of state-of-the-art models which represented the railway track structure under the loading of a passing train was undertaken. The models' capabilities were assessed and a number of potential models identified. A benchmark test was initiated to compare current models available throughout the international railway research community. This unique benchmark test engaged six researchers to compare their railway track models using a set of theoretical vehicle and track data. The benchmark results showed that significantly different results may be obtained by models, depending on the assumptions of the user in representing a particular track scenario. Differing complexities and modelling methods, the number of different input parameters required and the representation of the irregularities in the wheel and rail all have effect on the results produced. As a result of these initiatives, the DARTS (Dynamic Analysis of Rail Track Structures) computer model was chosen for use by the Rail CRC. A user-friendly interface was created for DARTS by the writer, which was readily interpretable by railway design engineers. At the time of writing, DARTS was found to be suitable for detailed investigations planned by the Rail CRC for future research and was provided for use through an Intellectual Property agreement with its author.

Wear of railroad rolling stock and rails costs millions of dollars annually in all rail systems throughout the world. The rail industry has attempted to address flange wear using rail curve lubricants and presently use a variety of lubricants and lubricant applicators. The choice of lubricant and applicator is currently based on considerations that do not address the wear problem directly. This research quantified rail curve lubricant performance through laboratory simulation. The effects of lubricants in the wheel/rail contact were investigated. Rail curve lubricant performance was measured with a laboratory rail/wheel simulator for the purpose of optimising the choice of lubricant. New methods for measurement of rail curve lubricant performance have been presented. These performance measurements are total absorbed energy, the energy absorbed in the lubricant film instead of being utilised for wear processes; total distance slid, the sliding distance or accumulated strain achieved prior to development of a set tractive force limit; half life of lubricant, the time taken for a lubricant to lose half of its sliding performance; and apparent viscosity, a measure of the lubricity presented with respect to accumulated strain. The rail/wheel simulator used in this research consists of two dissimilar wheels (disks) rotating in contact with one another simulating a conformal gauge corner contact. The first wheel, a simulated rail, is driven by an electric motor which then drives the second wheel, a simulated railroad wheel, through the contact. Hydraulic braking on the railroad wheel is used to simulate the rolling/sliding conditions. The variables of the simulated contact that are controlled with this equipment are normal force, input wheel speed, slip ratio between samples, sample geometries and material properties, and lubricant types. Rail curve lubricants were laboratory tested to define their properties using the ASTM and other appropriate standards. The performance differences measured using ASTM standards based tests were susceptible to repeatability problems and did not represent the contact as accurately as the rail/wheel simulator. This laboratory simulator was used to gather data in lubricated and unlubricated conditions for the purpose of providing lubricant performance measurements. These measurements were presented and the tested lubricants were ranked conclusively using three industrially relevant performance criteria. Total sliding distance and total absorbed energy measurements of the rail curve lubricants displayed clear differences in lubricant performance for both of these criteria. Total sliding distance is equivalent to the number of axles in the field situation, while total absorbed energy is the energy unavailable for wear processes of rails and wheels. Lubricants designed using these measurements will increase lubricant performance with respect to these performance criteria which in turn will reduce wear to both rails and wheels. Measurement of the apparent viscosity of rail curve lubricants, using the rail/wheel simulator, displayed changes in rheological characteristics with respect to accumulated strain. Apparent viscosity is a measure of the shear stress transmitted from the wheels to the rails. Designing a rail curve lubricant after analysing measurements taken from the rail/wheel simulator will assist in identifying lubricant properties to reduce the wear producing shear stresses generated in a rail wheel contact. Decay of lubricant performance was measured for three different rail curve lubricants under simulated conditions. The research found appreciable and quantifiable differences between lubricants. Industrial application of the findings will improve positioning of lubrication systems, improve choice of lubricants and predict effective lubrication distance from the lubricant application point. Using the new methods of lubricant performance measurement developed in this thesis, the objective of this research, to quantify rail curve lubricant performance through laboratory simulation, has been achieved.

Η ανάγκη για εξοικονόμηση ενέργειας δεν θα μπορούσε να αφήσει ανεπηρέαστα τα ηλεκτρονικά κυκλώματα. Έτσι, κατά τον σχεδιασμό ενός σύγχρονου ηλεκτρονικού κυκλώματος γίνεται προσπάθεια για αύξηση της αποδοτικότητας διαχείρισης της ισχύος ώστε να μειωθεί η κατανάλωση και να αυξηθεί η αυτονομία. Ένα από τα πιο γνωστά κυκλώματα που συναντάται στις περισσότερες εφαρμογές της ηλεκτρονικής είτε πρόκειται για αναλογικές είτε για ψηφιακές, είναι αυτό του τελεστικού ενισχυτή. Προς, αυτήν την κατεύθυνση, διάφορες καινοτόμες τοπολογίες έχουν προταθεί για την σύγχρονη ενισχυτική βαθμίδα που σκοπό έχουν την μεγιστοποίηση της αποδοτικότητας διαχείρισης του σήματος, με την ελάχιστη κατανάλωση. Συνεπώς, ένας αποδοτικός τελεστικός ενισχυτής, εκτός από μεγάλο κέρδος σε μεγάλη περιοχή συχνοτήτων, θα πρέπει να παρέχει ταυτόχρονα την ικανότητα διαχείρισης σημάτων με το μέγιστο δυνατό εύρος και την δυνατότητα οδήγησης μεγάλων φορτίων. Κατά συνέπεια, νέες τεχνικές παρουσιάζονται για την διαχείριση του σήματος, τόσο στην είσοδο όσο και στην έξοδο κάτω από συνθήκες χαμηλής τροφοδοσίας. Αυτή η εργασία έχει σαν αντικείμενο την μελέτη των βαθμίδων εισόδου τελεστικών ενισχυτών με εύρος rail-to-rail καθώς και των βαθμίδων εξόδου τάξεως ΑΒ. Μια rail-to-rail βαθμίδα εισόδου, μπορεί να διαχειριστεί την τάση τροφοδοσίας στο έπακρο δεχόμενη σήματα μεγάλου εύρους τάσεων, ενώ η βαθμίδα εξόδου έχει σαν κύριο πλεονέκτημα την γρηγορότερη οδήγηση μεγάλων φορτίων με ελαχιστοποίηση της παραμόρφωσης. Έτσι, στο πρώτο κεφάλαιο παρουσιάζονται οι βασικές αρχές που διέπουν τα κυκλώματα χαμηλής τροφοδοσίας και οι περιορισμοί που πρέπει να ληφθούν υπ’ όψιν κατά τον σχεδιασμό των κυκλωμάτων. Στο δεύτερο κεφάλαιο αυτής της εργασίας παρουσιάζονται οι βασικές αρχές λειτουργίας των rail-to-rail βαθμίδων εισόδου και οι βασικές τεχνικές υλοποίησής τους. Στο τρίτο κεφάλαιο παρουσιάζονται οι βασικές αρχές λειτουργίας των βαθμίδων εξόδου τάξεως ΑΒ με τις αντίστοιχες τεχνικές υλοποίησης. Στα επόμενα κεφάλαια αυτού του συγγράμματος προτείνεται ένας νέος τελεστικός ενισχυτής ο οποίος αποτελείται από μια rail-to-rail βαθμίδα εισόδου και από μία βαθμίδα εξόδου τάξεως ΑΒ ενώ γίνεται χρήση 1V για την τάση τροφοδοσίας. Άλλο ένα πλεονέκτημα της προτεινόμενης αρχιτεκτονικής, είναι αυτό της δυνατότητας ρύθμισης των συνθηκών πόλωσης ώστε να διατηρείται η λειτουργικότητα του ενισχυτή αλλά και να προσαρμόζεται στις εκάστοτε ανάγκες της κάθε εφαρμογής. Πιο συγκεκριμένα ένα από τα πλεονεκτήματα αυτού του τελεστικού ενισχυτή, είναι η δυνατότητα ρύθμισης της διαγωγιμότητας της εισόδου με γραμμικό τρόπο μέσω μιας πηγής ρεύματος. Αντίστοιχα, επιλέγοντας μεγαλύτερο ρεύμα για την βαθμίδα εξόδου υπάρχει η δυνατότητα μείωσης της καθυστέρησης μετάδοσης του σήματος σε μεγάλα φορτία. / A new technique for rail-to-rail input stage is proposed in this Letters. The proposed technique is based on the master-slave approach of complementary MOS transistor pairs. The input transconductance is linearly tunable over a large range and is almost constant for rail-to-rail common-mode range. The effectiveness of the proposed technique was verified by simulations using a standard 0.18μm CMOS process.

Charge-scaling (CS) successive approximation register (SAR) ADC's are widely used in the design of low power electronics. Significant portions of CS-SAR ADC power are consumed by CS capacitor arrays and comparator circuits. This Dissertation presents circuit techniques to reduce the power consumption of both CS capacitor array and the latch comparator during ADC operations. The impacts of the proposed techniques on ADC accuracies are analyzed and circuit techniques are presented to address the accuracy concerns. The dissertation also presents techniques to cope with capacitor mismatches, which becomes more significant with the use of very small unit capacitors in the CS array. These techniques rely on a novel programmable CS capacitor array that allow optimally grouping the unit capacitors. Based on a 0.13um CMOS technology the proposed techniques are verified with extensive circuit simulation. Post layout simulations are done to evaluate the proposed techniques for energy efficient CS capacitor array.

High-Speed Rail (HSR) as a fast, reliable and environmentally friendly mode of transportation has received a lot of attention in recent decades. The International Union of Railways reported that there are more than 18600 miles of HSR in operation and about 1.6 billion passengers per year are carried by them. Although there are plans for HSR in many states including Florida, the United States, however, is still hesitant to develop its own HSR network. One of the main barriers to developing high-speed rail is excessive vibration propagation to the media which may cause annoyance to people who live in the track neighborhood. Train induced vibration also contributes to track settlement, developing track flaws, and increasing life cycle cost of track and supporting structures. The aim of this research is to address this problem by conducting a comprehensive investigation into track dynamics. For this purpose, three-dimensional mass-spring-damper models of vehicle, track and supporting structures were developed and matrices of mass, stiffness, and damping of each subsystem were formed. The response of the whole system was, then, determined by coupling the subsystems using Hertz contact theory. The differential equations of the coupled system were solved by the Newmark integration method and the results including vertical and lateral displacements and forces were presented in the time domain. Since the purpose of this dissertation is to quantify the effect of track and vehicle condition on vibration level, rail defects were also taken into account and rail random irregularities for the vertical profile, Gauge, alignment and cross level (super elevation) were incorporated into a numerical solution. The results of the study show the effect of track and vehicle parameters on the response of the vehicle, track, and substructures. Since Florida and some other states in the United States are very prone to hurricanes, an investigation was conducted into the effect of wind speed on vehicle stability. For this purpose, a curved beam was modeled to consider the influence of track curvature, cant deficiency, wind speed and train speed simultaneously. The results from the study show the maximum allowable values of train speed and axle load for different wind speeds. The findings can be used to decide under what circumstances there is a risk of vehicle overturning and how to avoid it.

This work deals with methods used in design of low voltage operational amplifiers. It describes some of the most commonly used methods. Properties of these methods are verified by computer simulation of operational transconductance amplifiers that are utilizing them.

Re-tool: v.tr. re-tooled, re-tooling, re-tools 1. To fit out (a factory, for example) with a new set of machinery and tools for making a different product. 2. To revise and reorganize, especially for the purpose of updating or improving. The American ideals inherent in the suburbs are the promise of space, affordability, convenience, and traditional family life; conversely the public realms of the suburban typology become disconnected from each other as well as the larger city. The Generic City condition in which the periphery is no longer captivated by the center from which it was created is pervasive in the American landscape. Public space within the city has been consumed by their auto-centric infrastructural requirements, creating a loss of activity and identity. "Lowly, unpurposeful and random as they may appear, sidewalk contacts are the small change from which a cities wealth of public life may grow." Connecting people and places to one another and the metropolis that feeds them is essential for a properly functioning society. One example of an American city afflicted by auto-centrism and pedestrian marginalization is Tampa. The solution to Tampa's disconnection is a transit oriented development model in which there are localized areas of higher density that become nodes along a public transit route, thereby connecting areas of low density. By creating transportation nodes, places will become better connected in time and space. Establishing a more social form of transit in the Tampa Bay region will provide the opportunity for the creation of a secular cathedral of transportation. The Infrastructures we erect, just as the monasteries in the Middle Ages, must seek to enliven the communal and artistic traditions that make civilization and culture meaningful. The network of light rail connecting disjointed areas in Hillsborough will be linked to a high speed rail connecting major metropolitan areas across the state. This central downtown node will be manifested as a multi-modal station which incorporates multiple functions into an existing single use environment to densify the urban core of Tampa, create denser housing, and reconnect people to places. The main area of focus is the rail station and its overlap of program to create density and intensity so that connections with places and culture will be reinforced. The station will become a major public space of amenity and gathering point for the community.

Wheel-rail contact is an important aspect of railway, the forces transferred between the wheel and rail are the one that guide, brake, or accelerate the train, and that is why the understanding of the contact between wheel and rail is an interesting research topic. In this master thesis wheel-rail contact model named ANALYN is used to see the effect of the different geometrical input, like undeformed distance, relative longitudinal curvature, and relative lateral curvature calculation affect the contact patch estimation formed at the wheel-rail contact.  In the process, a geometrical contact search code is made to find the contact point between wheel and rail for certain lateral displacement, yaw angle, and roll angle of the wheelset. The codes used to calculate the three geometrical inputs are also prepared, with two methods are prepared for each input. The results that generated from combination of the geometrical contact search and geometrical input preparation are used as the input to ANALYN. The results showed that different geometrical input calculations do affect the shape of the contact patch, with the calculation of lateral curvature being the most important since it affects the shape of the contact patch greater than other geometrical inputs. It is also shown that taking yaw angle into account in the contact search will affect the shape of the contact patch.

This study proposes various methods to harvest the mechanical energy present in railcar suspensions and railroad tracks to generate electricity that is suitable for onboard or trackside electronics, using electromagnetic generators. Compact electromagnetic energy harvesters that can be installed onboard railcars or wayside on railroad tracks are designed, fabricated, and tested. The designs integrate a mechanical motion rectifier (MMR) with embedded one-way clutches in the bevel gears in order to convert the bi-directional mechanical energy that commonly exists in the form of vibrations into a unidirectional rotation of the generator. The ball screw mechanism is configured such that it has reduced backlash and thus can more efficiently harvest energy from low-amplitude vibrations. Two prototype harvesters are fabricated and tested extensively in the laboratory using a suspension dynamometer and in the field onboard a railcar and on a test track. A power management system with an energy storage circuit has also been developed for this onboard harvester. The laboratory evaluation indicate that the harvesters are capable of harvesting power with sufficient current and voltage for successfully powering light electronics or charging a low demand battery pack. The harvested power varies widely from a few to tens of Watts, depending on the resistive load across the harvester and the amplitude and frequency of the mechanical motion. The laboratory test results are verified through field testing. One harvester is tested onboard a freight railcar, placing it across the wedge suspension, to use the small amount of relative displacement at the wedge suspension to harvest energy. A second harvester is placed on a test track to use the vertical motion that occurs due to passing wheels for wayside energy harvesting. Both onboard and wayside tests confirm the laboratory test results in terms of the success of the design concept in providing low-power electrical power. The harvester design is further integrated into a conventional railroad tie for ease of field installation and for improving the efficiency of harvesting the mechanical energy at the rail. The integrated design, referred to as the "smart tie," not only protects the energy harvester, the wiring harness, and supporting electronics from the maintenance-of-the-way equipment, but also positions the harvester in a mechanically advantageous position that can maximize the track-induced motion, and hence the harvested power. Although for testing purposes, the smart tie uses a modified composite tie, it can be integrated into other track tie arrangements that are used for revenue service track, including concrete and wooden ties. A prototype smart tie is fabricated for laboratory testing, and the results nearly surpass the results obtained earlier from the wayside harvester. The smart tie is currently being considered for revenue service field testing over an extended length of time, potentially at a railroad mega site or similarly suitable location. / Doctor of Philosophy / This dissertation proposes three different electromagnetic energy harvesters for harvesting railroad track and railcar suspension vibration energy. The concept is similar to what you may have seen in self-powering flashlights that are often advertised in late-night TV commercials. You shake the flashlight vigorously, which moves an energy harvester devoice and, Voila, the light bulb comes on. The device design in this study uses the mechanical energy that is present in a vehicle or at a railroad track to harvest the mechanical energy that is naturally present in the form of electrical energy, which can then be used for powering electronic devices and sensors of various kinds. Such sensors and electronics would help with improving the operational efficiency of railroads. The energy harvesters can be installed onboard a railcar or at the track. In either case, the movement of the train creates a small amount of vibration energy that is turned into electrical power. When onboard a train the power can be used for sensors, GPS, and similar devices to allow the operator to better monitor the condition and location of the train. Note that most railcars, especially the freight railcars, do not have any onboard electrical power. Similarly, the energy harvester can be installed at the track to convert the small amount of up and down motion that happens with the passing of each wheel into energy that could be used for integration of sensors that make the track "smarter." This means that the sensors can potentially alert the engineers who are responsible for monitoring the track of an existing or impending problem with the track. Both the railcar and track integration of the energy harvester that is designed, fabricated, and tested during this study are exciting concepts that can improve the rail industry in the U.S. This document includes the details of designing efficient energy harvesters, specifically for rail applications. A prototype of the energy harvester is fabricated and tested extensively in the lab and in the field, albeit to a more limited extent. The test results were quite successful, which is why I am telling you about them! Both the laboratory and field test results show that the device holds significant promise for rail applications.