An investigation of the aerodynamic admittances and aerodynamic weighting functions of trains

Increasing train speeds combined with the predicted reduction in the weight of new trains ensure that the effect of crosswinds on train stability is of continued interest to the rail industry. Changes in the approaching wind velocity can in turn lead to changes in both the lift and side force on a vehicle. Calculations of the wind induced force can either be undertaken in the frequency domain with knowledge of aerodynamic admittance characteristics or in the time domain using aerodynamic weighting functions. This paper investigates the applicability of developing a universal aerodynamic admittance function and a corresponding analytical weighting function for a variety of train types based on a range of experimental data. It is suggested that only two variables are required to parameterise both the admittance and weighting functions. It is also argued that for certain train types one of these variables can be considered as a constant across a wide range of yaw angles. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved