Fault Detection of Vertical Dampers of Railway Vehicle Based on Phase Difference of Vibrations

This paper presents a technique for damper fault detection based on the phase difference between the bounce and pitch motions of bogie frames or a car body obtained with inertial sensors. This method avoids the need for mounting sensors in oil dampers. The result of vibration excitation tests with one vehicle on a testing plant demonstrated that the faults in a primary vertical damper were detectable by evaluating the phase difference between the bounce and pitch motions of the bogie frames. The results of running tests on a meter-gauge line demonstrated that secondary vertical damper faults were also detectable based on the phase difference between the bounce and pitch motions of the car body.