Cooperative research programs (Railway vehicles)

European project (7FP) ACEM-RAIL - Automated and Cost Effective Railway Infrastructure Maintenance (2010-2013).

Development of a mathematical model to evaluate the evolution of the track conditions according to the traffic that circulates on the track. Elaboration of a method for the evaluation of the areas of the track that are most at risk of failure. The method considers track sections of predefined length and evaluates on each of them different indexes that allow to evaluate the conditions of the track, such as alignment, track gauge, track wear, presence of cracks, etc. Each of these indexes provides a limit value beyond which the line requires maintenance. Each vehicle that transits on the track involves an increase in the damage index that depends on the type of vehicle, the number of axles and the payload; by means of numerical models, it is in fact possible to develop a "map" of damage that can be associated to each vehicle on a given track. Knowing, therefore, the vehicles that usually transit on a certain railway line it is possible to evaluate a "cumulative damage". When this value exceeds the threshold value, the track requires inspections and possibly maintenance actions. The results of the research activity carried out within this project have been the subject of international scientific publications: “N. Bosso, A. Gugliotta, N. Zampieri (2012) A New Method to Evaluate Track Conditions over Time. In: First International Conference on Railway Technology 2012, Las Palmas, 18-20 April 2012. pp. 685-703” e “N. Bosso, A. Gugliotta, N. Zampieri (2012) A Comprehensive Strategy to Estimate Track Condition and its Evolution. In: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RAILWAY TECHNOLOGY, vol. Vol. 1 n. 2, pp. 1-19. - ISSN 2049-5358”.

Regional research project “DIACALAR” – Diagnostica e Controllo di Carri Ponte con Metodi di Misura Laser (2012-2014).

The main task of the project concerns the design of an automatic diagnostic trolley to evaluate the conditions of the overhead crane runways. The device, realized within the project, is remotely controlled by Wi-Fi connection and can move along the runways without requiring the presence of an operator. The device is in fact able to move independently along the runway beam in conjunction with a laser tracker installed on the ground. The project led to the filing of the patent WO2016009457A1 together with the participating companies.

Regional research project NPTC (Nuovo Polo Tecnologico Carrelli) (2012-2016).

Development of real-time monitoring systems and algorithms to evaluate the conditions of different mechanical components of railway vehicles. The activity involved the development and implementation of an on-board monitoring system that can be installed on different types of vehicles without requiring structural changes to the bogie or the axle-box. As part of the project, an axle-box test bench was also developed to test the algorithms integrated into monitoring system. The bench was in fact used to validate and calibrate the monitoring algorithms developed during the project. The activities carried out during this project also concerned the implementation of on-line tests to assess the efficiency of the monitoring system and the related algorithms.

"Proof of Concept" project supported by the Compagnia di San Paolo (Prot. 10322)

Development and application of the patent “Device for diagnosing railway bogies by applying an energy-autonomous measuring and transmitting bolt, and corresponding control method - US 2014/0000373 A1” to the monitoring of wind turbine blades. The patent regards a measurement system operating by means of miniaturized low consumption sensors integrated into a threaded element and equipped with a system for recovering/generating energy from an external source. The immediate application of the invention concerns the field of structural monitoring combined with predictive system diagnostics and, in particular, the field of wind power generators (or wind turbines). The task of the project is precisely to increase the TRL level of the system protected by the patent in order to apply it to the structural and geometric monitoring of wind turbines. The activity was conducted in collaboration with the ERG company.

Contract 874/2015 “Pattini carrelli merci – Valutazione dell’usura dei pattini carrelli merci tipo Y25” (2015)

Design and construction of a test bench for the experimental evaluation of side bearing wear on behalf of the company TRENITALIA SpA. The bench allows reproducing the operating conditions of the side bearing in laboratory without requiring on track tests. Experimental tests were carried out in order to obtain the Archard coefficients of the material of which the side bearing are made. Realization of a numerical model of the freight vehicle necessary to correlate the experimental data with respect to the real case.

Contract 526/2015 “Progetto di fattibilità di un nuovo carrello merci ad alta velocità QRRS: analisi dinamica a supporto della progettazione” (2015)

Study and design of a high-speed railway bogie for freight wagons (speed over 160 km/h). Dynamic analysis of the bogie in order to design the primary suspension system. Study and comparison between the European EN14363 and the Chinese GB5599 standard.

Contract 1115/2012 “Analisi strutturale e dell’usura del sistema di movimentazione ad attrito per testa di macchina tastatrice” (2012)

Experimental tests carried to evaluate the wear of the machine handling system. Wheel slip measurement and wheel-guide contact modeling in order to evaluate the contact pressure and the tangential actions. Proposal of a different motor control system that allowed reducing sliding and therefore wearing.

Caritas Project - Industria2015: Coach with Advanced Robust aids for special assisted Train transport Services

The project has been financed in the Industria 2015 – Sustainable mobility Call, topic: Innovative coaches and/or freight railway cars, integrated with info-telematic system devoted to specific mission.

Main goal of the project is the design, construction and testing of a functional prototype for a specific innovative double deck coach devoted to Persons of Reduced Mobility (the so called ‘Extended Users’), due to different congenital or acquired disabilities caused by diseases, trauma or simply by ageing effects. These coaches will be joined in order to build special convoys, for example Pilgrim Transport, but also will be employed in traditional ones, in order to guarantee Disabled People and their Assistants a comfortable and safe travel. Project ambitiously follows guidelines contained inside strategic Research Agenda of European Railway Transport Platform ERRAC.

The design of the coach and its functionalities behaviours will be guided by ‘User Friendly’ approach, with the goal to fulfil their needs at excellence top levels during the entire ‘travel cycle’ (booking, coach ingress, on board living, coach egress, link to other transportation means). In particular, the highest levels of ergonomics, vibration, acoustic, climatic comfort will be assured, together with an easy coach ingress/egress, on-board movement possibility, entertainment services availability and usability, monitoring and transmission of data to external medical centres, on board first aid service availability.

Roller rig (scale 1:1) Project

The research project is related to the development of mathematical models to simulate the dynamics of railway vehicles on 1:1 roller rig.

Main goal of the activity, in cooperation with Blue Design, is to develop a numerical model of vehicle on a roller rig bench, scaled 1:1, in order to demonstrate its functionality during testing the vehicle in condition of traction, braking and to evaluate the critical velocity.

A proper wheel-roller model contact is developed in the research study in order to be used in Simpack code. The model is validated with reference to a single suspended axle by comparison with higher complexity models and numerical results obtained from the reduced scale prototype.

A series of numerical simulations have been carried out, with constant traction, braking, traction and running stability, analysing:

The exchanged loads between the vehicle and the test rig.
The relative motion vehicle-roller rig.
Critical velocity on rail and rollers.

TRAM Project

Aim of this project, financed by Piedmont Region, is a safer, more comfortable, more ecological and less expensive tramway.

This project want to produce not only a railway surface city transport innovation, but also new design methodologies, new control techniques and new methodologies. This work will produce innovation about

air generation and air treatment (oil free compressor and osmotic membranes dryer),
design of integrated electro-pneumatic circuits (designed whit CFD simulation techniques),
the shock absorber system of the tram (a new air shock absorber semi-active system will be realised)
methodologies for remote-diagnostic for maintenance of tramway boogies and braking system.

Specifically the activity of the railway research group is focused on the development of mathematical models for the numerical simulation of the dynamic behaviour also in braking conditions of the tramway bogie and characterisation of the structural and functional elements of the bogie, in particular air active suspensions.

Additionally the railway research group will study of methodologies for the preventive maintenance and tele-diagnosis of the bogie mechanics and the braking system, through the development of new sensors and new techniques of acquisition and transmission data, suitable to work in adverse conditions.

New boogie Project: Computer and experimental aided design of a new innovative boogie by using 1:5 scale models.

Aim of the project is the development of a new methodology for the design of railway vehicles, by using numerical models and experimental data through reduced scale simulators, strengthening, starting from the preliminary design phase, the use of experimental results (on simulators in reduced scale) in order to reduce uncertainty on the results of the numerical simulations. Reduced design time, design costs and improvement of the design results are the objective of this methodology.

The innovative method is composed by the following phases:

Realization and tests on a “preliminary” prototype of bogie in reduced scale to help the start-up phase. The prototype has been tested using a Roller Rig.
Development of numerical models to compare the rail vehicle in real scale and on the reduced scale test rig.
Development of experimental tests conducted on a bench, which permit the setting of the suspension springs and a first verification of all the dynamic calculations.
Realization of constructive drawings of the real vehicle and of the prototype in reduced scale.
Experimental tests on the model, which will provide the validation of the numerical models.
Realization of the definitive drawing of the real vehicle.

MODIVEFER Project: DIstance MOnitoring of railway VEhicles for goods transport and monitoring in real time of the vehicle.

Objective of the project is the realization and the test of a device for monitoring of the operative conditions of a freight railway wagon. The information received in real time by the service administrator permit the rapid location of danger situations with evident benefits to transportation safety. Secondary objective, but not less important, is the preventive evaluation of the wear state and damage of the principal bogie components (braking, bearings, springs, …), allowing a timely programming of the maintenance, thus improving efficiency of the service and limiting costs.

Freight Vehicles Project

The project “Freight Vehicles” is related to the analysis of replacing the goods wagons currently employed by the societies of the M&G group in order to transport rough plastics in the North American market to achieve a cost reduction. The society employs an amount equal to 1000-2000 wagons, hiring them from a various company.

The target is the production of a single low cost innovative vehicle, in order to be competitive respect the actual solution. The average life of a railway vehicle is of approximately 20 years, the wagons can remain stopped for long periods being also used as a warehouse.

Since the wagons are stationary for a large part of their lifetime, it has been considered the possibility, instead of realizing a conventional covered hopper car type, to design an innovative vehicle, able to carry out either dismountable Silos or containers. One of the advantages of this innovative choice, i.e. the separation of the storing part of the wagon (silos) from the proper vehicle, is the possibility to use a limited number of wagons in order to achieve a greater cargo capability. The silos, once transported to the site of employment, can be left in place to attend their employment, while the wagon can be used for a new transport. Moreover, the company uses, in some markets (Brazil, etc.) the roads transport in order to move the material. That therefore demands migration of the material from the container to the hopper wagons with risk of contamination and increment of the logistic costs. The new typology of wagon would allow to directly using the container in substitution of the silos.

Long train Project: Simulation of the dynamic behaviour of long goods trains in transitory braking conditions, in predefined tracks

The research group developed in collaboration with the University of Rome “Tor Vergata” and the company SAB-WABCO (now Faiveley transport) a project addressed to the study of the dynamic behaviour of long freight trains.

This subject has fundamental importance in the study of the braking problems and in the evaluation of improvements to the safety system in terms of efficiency and safety, derived from the design of braking systems and from structural limitations of coupling systems and of the buffers/hook.

Within the project it has been developed and realized a simplified mathematical model in order to be integrated in a real time numerical simulator for vehicle dynamic. This code works in real time and is interfaced with a real braking system of a long train. In this way it is possible to evaluate of the influence of the vehicle dynamics on the braking and longitudinal stress during braking, both during straight running and curving, also in presence of track inclinations.