Dynamic vibration absorber for the mitigation of potential wheel polygonization at trams

Abstract

Polygonal wheels are a widespread problem in the railway industry. Oscillation phenomena appearing at the wheelset may provide an environment where the wheel polygonization is promoted essentially. The flexibility of the wheelset was highlighted as an important influence on these phenomena in curves with a small radius of curvature at trams in recent studies. A dynamic vibration absorber applied on the wheelset may reduce oscillations at the wheelset significantly and is studied as a potential mitigation measure of wheel polygonization. A basic system model, representing a wheelset with non-driven independently rotating wheels, is used to investigate the mechanism and performance of this passive remedy. Influences of different parameter combinations of the absorber are discussed systematically. The efficiency of the dynamic vibration absorber is analysed further with a more detailed multibody system model of a two-axle tram bogie. Results reveal that an adequately tuned absorber might significantly reduce the possible development and further evolution of predominant polygonal orders. Additionally, basic guidelines for the design of the dynamic vibration absorber applied at the wheelset are pointed out.