Practical technique for identifying characteristic matrices of railway vehicle carbodies based on stationary tests

(Investigation for confirming vibration reduction effects of appended devices)

Abstract

In order to investigate the vibration characteristics of the railway vehicle carbodies, some sorts of analytical models, such as a simple beam, a box-type and a finite element models, have been proposed. These models are constructed based on the equations of motions for some assumed or approximated structures. In this study, another modeling technique, without such assumption or approximation is applied. The modal characteristics of the tested carbody are estimated with use of the frequency response functions (FRF) obtained in the stationary excitation tests, and then the mass, damping, and stiffness matrices (characteristic matrices) of the carbody are identified. It is confirmed that the identified characteristic matrices properly represent the relation between the excitation force and response vibration. And also, the authors try to utilize the characteristic matrices in order to estimate the effects of certain vibration reduction devices such as dynamic vibration absorbers appended on the carbody.