Iavsd Railway Benchmark # 2 Sidive and Voco Code Solutions

SUMMARY A comparative study was carried out of both the SIDIVE and the VOCO computer code solutions to the IAVSD railway benchmark number 2. Modelling particularities of the two alternatives are shown and then the solutions obtained by each code are discussed. Certain differences have been found between the results obtained with both programs. Differences in the wheel-rail contact approach (elastic or non elastic) and in the spring modelling are the causes of these results. The elasticity of wheel-rail contact has a strong influence on the vehicle stability results and increases the speed at which limit cycles appear from 60 m/s (rigid contact) to 118 m/s (elastic contact). The spring modelling causes differences in the initial equilibrium position. In spite of the modelling differences, a satisfactory correlation between the results of both codes has been obtained and the differences have been explained as due to differences in modelling approaches.