published_or_final_version / abstract / Transport Policy and Planning / Master / Master of Arts in Transport Policy and Planning

A method for numerical simulation of train induced track vibration and wave propagation in subgrade has been proposed. The method uses a mass to simulate the bogie of a train and considers the effect of rail roughness. For this method, rail roughness is considered as a randomly generated signal and a filter is used to block the undesired components. The method predicts the particle velocity around the track and can be applied to many kinds of railroad trackbeds including traditional ballast trackbed and modern Hot mix asphalt (HMA) trackbed. Results from ballast and HMA trackbeds are compared and effects of HMA layer on damping track vibration and dissipating wave propagation are presented. To verify the credibility of the method, in-track measurements were also conducted. Site measurements included performing geophysical tests such as spectral analysis of surface wave test and seismic refraction test to determine the subsurface conditions at the test site. Ballast and HMA samples were tested in the laboratory by resonant column test to obtain the material properties. Particle velocities were measured and analyzed in the frequency domain. Results from in-track tests confirm the applicability of the numerical method. The findings and conclusions are summarized and future research topics are suggested.

<p>Numerical procedures for reliable wheel and rail wearprediction are rare. Recent development of simulationtechniques and computer power together with tribologicalknowledge do however suggest computer aided wear prediction.The objective of the related research field at the RoyalInstitute of Technology (KTH) is to arrive at a numericalprocedure able to simulate profile evolution due to uniformwear to a degree of accuracy sufficient for application tovehicle dynamics simulation. Such a tool would be useful formaintenance planning as well as optimisation of the transportsystem and its components.</p><p>The research contribution accounted for in this thesisincludes, in addition to a literature review, refinement ofmethods applied to uniform wheel wear simulation by inclusionof braking and improvement of the contact model. Further atentative application to uniform rail wheel simulation has beenproposed and tested.</p><p>The first part addresses issues related to braking andwheel-rail contact conditions in the context of wheel wearsimulation. The KTH approach includes Archard’s wear modelwith associated wear maps, vehicle dynamics simulation andrailway network definition. In previous work at KTH certainvariations in operating conditions have been accounted forthrough empirically estimated average scaling factors. Theobjective of the current research is to be able to include suchvariations in the set of simulations. In particular theinfluence of disc braking and varying friction and lubricationconditions are investigated. Both environmental factors likemoist and contamination and deliberate lubrication need to beconsidered. As part of the associated contact analysis theinfluence of tangential elastic deformation of the contactingsurfaces on the sliding velocity has been separatelyinvestigated and found to be essential in case of partial slipcontact conditions.</p><p>In the second part validation of the improvements related towheel wear simulation is addressed. Disc braking has beenincluded in the simulation set and a wear map for moist contactconditions based on recent tribometer tests has been draftedand tested. It has been shown that the previously used brakingfactor accounts for the combination of the contributions fromsurface elasticity and braking. Good agreement withmeasurements from the Stockholm commuter service is achieved.It is concluded that the model improvements accounted for aresufficient for adequate simulation of tread wear but thatfurther development of the flange / gauge corner contactmodelling may be needed.</p><p>In the final part a procedure for simulation of rail wearand corresponding profile evolution has been formulated. Asimulation set is selected defining the vehicles running on thetrack to be investigated, their operating conditions, andcontact parameters. Several variations of input data may beincluded together with the corresponding occurrenceprobability. Trial calculations of four non-lubricated curveswith radii from 303 m to 802 m show qualitatively reasonableresults in terms of profile shape development and difference inwear mechanisms between gauge corner and rail head. The wearrates related to traffic tonnage are however overestimated. Itis believed that model refinements in terms of environmentalinfluence and contact stress calculation are useful to improvethe quantitative results.</p> / QC 20100531

This project explores the design of a rail-trail in the Midwest utilizing visual preference methods with ArcGIS and 3D visualization technologies. It has been found that visually preferred environments are more enjoyable, more frequently used places that positively influence overall health of individuals and communities. Aesthetic attributes of environments, in particular, are directly related to overall physical, social, and mental health. Research conducted on environment, behavior, and human preference suggests that environmental settings can influence perceptions of quality of life, sense of place, and mental states, which affect stress levels, which are physically manifested in the body (Kaplan 1982, 1987, 1995, 1998; Lusk 2002; RWJF 2006; Shafer 2000).One way of providing healthier environments is by improving aesthetics according to the visual characteristics that promote understanding and exploration of the environment, specifically perceptual values of smoothness, density, and landcover type (Kaplan and Kaplan 1998; Brown 1994). This technique allows social issues such as public opinion and health benefits to be integrated with environmental and cultural issues to thoroughly address design and management solutions, especially in recreation areas. Spatial Analyst and 3D Analyst extensions facilitated the analysis by adapting the United States Forest Service visual analysis framework to the visual preference research to assess the use of GIS and 3D technology in a design oriented application. This included the addition of a 3D element to allow the designer to experience how a scene changes through space and time. Use of 2D, 3D, and animation capabilities of ArcGIS assisted in the visualization of landscape preference from the trail-user's point of view to assess the perceptual qualities of the landscape along the Cardinal Greenway.The project findings outline the capabilities of ArcGIS 3D Analyst and Spatial Analyst for mapping and measuring these perceptual and physical landscape qualities. The resulting design concepts reflect the findings of this study. It is anticipated that the process followed could be adapted and applied to recreation areas in similar geographic regions, and thereby advance daily recreation and lifestyle change for healthier individuals and communities. / Department of Landscape Architecture

The topic of this PhD thesis is active suspension in rail vehicles whichis usually realized through sensors, controllers and actuation components.A well established example of an active suspension is the tiltingcontrol system used to tilt the carbody in curves to reduce centrifugalacceleration felt by passengers. Active suspension for rail vehicles is beingstudied since 1970s and in this PhD thesis it has been tried to expandon some aspects of this topic.This study extends the research field by both experimental and theoreticalstudies. In the first phase of the study which led to a licentiatedegree the focus was more on experimental work with active verticalsuspension (AVS). This was implemented by introducing actuators inthe secondary suspension of a Bombardier test train, Regina 250, in thevertical direction. The aim has been to improve vertical ride comfort bycontrolling bounce, pitch and roll motions.In the second phase after the licentiate, the studies have been moretheoretical and can be divided into two parts. The first part of the workhas been more focused on equipping two-axle rail vehicles with differentactive suspension solutions for improving the vehicle performanceregarding comfort and wheel-rail interaction. Three papers are writtenon active suspension for two-axle rail vehicles. Two of the papers discussthe use of H¥ control for wheelset guidance in curves to reducewheel-rail damage. The third paper shows that by use of active verticaland lateral suspension (AVS and ALS) in two-axle rail vehicles goodcomfort can be achieved as well. The paper then studies how the threeactive suspension systems (ALS, AVS, and ASW) interact once implementedtogether on a two-axle rail vehicle.The second part is a study on safety of active suspension systems.The study discusses a possible procedure to ensure that a designed activesuspension for a rail vehicle will be safe in all possible failure situations. / <p>QC 20170602</p>

This thesis explores the potential impact of a World’s Fair on urban mobility in Los Angeles County by 2022. A brief historical account of World’s Fairs, and their impact on technological innovations in transportation will be given in conjunction with the development of transportation in Los Angeles. These accounts will help to contextualize an analysis of current plans to provide Los Angeles with transportation solutions, in light of the oversaturated automobile landscape in place today. Specifically, my research has revealed that the further development of light-speed rail systems paired alongside a mass adoption of autonomous vehicles would both alleviate contemporary transportation issues across Los Angeles County and accommodate the audience of international spectators that future mega-events may attract. Particular attention is paid to the Los Angeles World’s Fair for its ability to galvanize the resources and support that these transportation innovations require. I therefore conclude that the Los Angeles World Fair should direct its focus principally in support of these aforementioned technologies, as opposed to other less feasible transportations solutions such as the Hyperloop.

During life of railway vehicles, shape irregularities develop on wheels and rails because of wear. The shape irregularities then affect forces in wheel-rail contact and cause further damage of contact surfaces, vibrations and noise and increase risk of derailment. A numerical simulation of railway vehicle motion with more details on contact surfaces geometry was created to investigate dynamic contact loads in wheel-rail contact. A variety of methods can be used to evaluate forces in rolling contact, the method chosen for this study was algorithm CONTACT based on boundary element method. Four studies are presented in this papers: contact loads from a wheel with a flat and with a wavy tread pattern, loads on wavy rail and load in a curve. The first three studies investigated effects of existing wear patterns, the last one looked for cause of common wear pattern developing on rails. Results of the studies with worn components used showed that the worst kind of shape irregularities is a flat present on wheel. This type of shape cause loss of contact and following impacts. The study of ride in curve showed that cause of high wear in curves, especially those with small radii, is caused by vibration of wheelset. This vibration is then caused by different length of inner and outer rail and wheels travelling along a different path.

Depuis une vingtaine d'années, les problématiques de transport public en région parisienne sont devenues une préoccupation majeure. Pour les usagers qui consacrent en moyenne environ deux heures quotidiennement à leurs déplacements domicile-travail, la qualité de l'offre de transport est un enjeu majeur.La société nationale des chemins de fer français qui exploitent la majeure partie du réseau ferré dans cette région joue un rôle central dans l'organisation des transports. Mais à l'opposé des attentes qui pèsent sur ce secteur, le trafic ferroviaire rencontrent un certain nombre de dysfonctionnements. En s'inscrivant dans une démarche globale de remise en question des principes d'exploitation ferroviaire en zone dense, cette thèse apporte un regard nouveau sur l'origine des retards qui affectent les trains.Un modèle simple qui permet d'étudier la congestion du trafic ferroviaire sous l'influence de perturbations aléatoires est proposé. En s'inspirant des outils du trafic routier et tout particulièrement du diagramme fondamental de réseau,on définit pour le ferroviaire, le diagramme fondamental de ligne ferroviaire qui permet de représenter le débit en fonction de la concentration sur une portion de ligne ferroviaire. Cet outil est ensuite utilisé pour comparer les résultats issus de notre modèle à un jeu de données mesuré sur deux lignes de chemin de fer de la région parisienne.Cette comparaison montre que notre modèle permet de reproduire qualitativement les phénomènes de congestion du trafic observés sur les cas réels. / Over the last twenty years, public transport issues in the Paris region have become a major concern. The French national railway company, which operates most of the rail network in this region, plays a central role in the organisation of transport. However, in contrast to expectations in this sector, rail traffic is experiencing a number of malfunctions. As part of an overall approach to questioning the principles of rail operation in dense areas, this thesis provides a new look at the origin of delays affecting trains. Drawing on road traffic tools and in particular the basic network diagram, the basic railway line diagram is defined for railways, which makes it possible to represent the flow as a function of concentration on a portion of a railway line. This tool is then used to compare the results from our model with a set of data measured on two railway lines in the Paris region, which shows that our model can qualitatively reproduce the traffic congestion phenomena observed on real cases.(Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator)

Cette thèse développe des algorithmes pour des problèmes de transport ferroviaire et est réalisée en partenariat avec l'entreprise Eurotunnel qui exploite le tunnel sous la Manche. Ce partenariat s'est établi sous la forme d'une chaire avec l'École des Ponts où cette thèse a été menée. Nous développons trois sujets dans cette thèse: le premier est un problème opérationnel rencontré par Eurotunnel, les deux autres sont plus prospectifs et théoriques, et sont inspirés des problèmes de transport ferroviaire d'Eurotunnel.Le processus de création de grilles horaires pour le transport ferroviaire se découpe en plusieurs phases (estimation de la demande, détermination du réseau, planification des départs, affectation des trains et du personnel). Nous nous intéressons dans une première partie à la phase de planification des départs des trains sur un intervalle temporel, appliquée au cas spécifique d'Eurotunnel. L'objectif est de calculer les horaires des départs des trains depuis chacune des deux stations (Coquelles en France et Folkestone en Angleterre) en respectant des contraintes d'exploitation (sécurité, chargement, ...) et des accords commerciaux signés avec leurs partenaires (Eurostar, ...). De plus, la prise en compte des retards dès la planification des départs est primordiale pour limiter la propagation des perturbations de train en train sur le réseau. Nous avons développé des algorithmes de planification pour Eurotunnel tenant compte des contraintes du réseau et de la probabilité de retard pour chaque train. Ces algorithmes utilisent des outils standard de la Recherche Opérationnelle pour modéliser et résoudre ces problèmes d'optimisation.La tarification des billets est un enjeu majeur pour les entreprises de transport. Pour les compagnies aériennes, de nombreux algorithmes ont été étudiés pour définir le prix optimal des billets pour différentes classes de passagers. Nous appliquons dans une deuxième partie des méthodes standard de tarification (modèles de choix discrets) afin d'optimiser de manière globale les prix et les horaires des départs pour des entreprises de transport ferroviaire. Des outils classiques de l'optimisation stochastique, des modèles de choix discrets et des heuristiques sont utilisés dans nos algorithmes pour donner les meilleures solutions possibles en un temps de calcul limité.Nous nous intéressons dans une dernière partie à une classe de problèmes de transport, inspirés de ceux rencontrés par Eurotunnel, en donnant des algorithmes efficaces de résolution exacte ou approchée. Ces algorithmes permettent de donner une borne supérieure de la complexité temporelle de ces problèmes. La classe de problèmes étudiés consiste en la planification des départs de navettes sur une ligne fixe, pour transporter d'une station A vers une station B des usagers arrivant de manière continue. Les navettes sont éventuellement autorisées à faire de multiples rotations pour transporter plusieurs vagues d'usagers. L'objectif est de limiter le temps d'attente des passagers avant le départ de leur navette. Des combinaisons originales de l'optimisation convexe et de la théorie des graphes (problèmes de plus court chemin) sont utilisées dans nos algorithmes / This thesis develops algorithms for rail transportation problems, conducted in relationship with the company Eurotunnel which operates the tunnel under the Channel. This partnership is a scientific chair with the École des Ponts et Chaussées, where this thesis was realized. We study three topics throughout the thesis: the first one is an operational problem faced by Eurotunnel, whereas the two other ones are prospective and theoretical problems inspired by their process.The planning process for rail transportation can be divided into several phases (demand estimation, line planning, scheduling of the departure times, rolling stock and crew planning). In a first part, we focus on the scheduling phase on a time interval, applied to the specific case of Eurotunnel. The objective is to compute the departure times of the trains for each of the two stations (Calais in France and Folkestone in England), satisfying operation constraints (security, loading, ...) and commercial agreements with their partners (Eurostar, ...). Moreover, taking into account the delays in the scheduling phase is essential to limit the propagation of the disturbances from train to train in the network. We develop scheduling algorithms for Eurotunnel taking into account the operation and commercial constraints, and the random distributions of the delays for each train. These algorithms use standard tools of Operations Research to model and solve these optimization problems.Pricing is a main issue for transportation companies. Many algorithms have been proposed to help airline companies to define optimized prices of the plane tickets for different classes of passengers. In a second part, we apply some standard pricing frameworks (discrete choice models) in order to optimize in a global way the prices and the departure times of the trains for rail transportation companies. Standard tools of stochastic optimization, discrete choice models, and some heuristics are used in our algorithms to compute the best possible solutions in a limited computation time.We focus in a last part on a class of transportation problems, inspired form Eurotunnel. We give efficient algorithms to solve exactly or to approximate the optimal solutions of these problems. These algorithms give an upper bound of the time complexity of this class of problems. The problems studied consist in scheduling the departure times of shuttles on a fixed trip, to transport passengers, arriving continuously at an initial station, to a given destination. The shuttles are potentially allowed to perform several rotations to transport several groups of passengers. The objective is to minimize the waiting time of the passengers before the depart of their shuttle. Original combinations of convex optimization and graph theory (shortest path problems) are used in our algorithms

This master thesis treats the modelling of a common-rail direct fuel injection system where pressure generation is decoupled from the injection process. It has been shown that the fuel pressure plays a vital role for the general performance of the engine, affecting both emissions and efficiency, and it is carefully regulated to achieve optimal performance at different operating points. In an attempt to facilitate the development of the responsible control algorithms, a simulation framework has been requested. A model describing the complete work cycle of the high-pressure fuel system is developed and implemented in a Simulink environment. It is to a large extent based on the underlying physics and constructed in a modular manner, which allows for different engine configurations to be simulated. The modelled pressure signal is compared to experimental data at different operating points with promising results in capturing the transient behaviour from a low-level perspective. Additionally, it manages to replicate some of the pressure oscillations which has been observed in the real system and it shows good response to changes in the input signals. However, there are some areas which are subject to improvement since capturing the static pressure levels over longer drive cycles has proved to be a difficult task. Overall, the developed model serves as a starting point for future development and validation of control algorithms.