State sensitivity analysis of the pantograph system for a high-speed rail vehicle considering span length and static uplift force

In this paper, dynamic characteristics analysis of catenary and pantograph systems for a high-speed rail vehicle is carried out. The catenary system is considered to be a beam model. The analysis of the catenary based on the finite element method (FEM) is performed to develop the pantograph. The stiffness value can be obtained at each nodal point on the contact wire. State sensitivity analysis was executed with respect to design variables considered by the pantograph system. The pantograph of linear spring–mass–damper system is considered as a 3dof model using lumped parameters. Dynamic modeling of the pantograph system is verified by actual experimental vibration data. To perform the sensitivity analysis, our study was considered lift force effect of the pan-head occurring at high-speed runs. Also, a span length and static uplift force were included into design variables. As a result, we could confirm that span length and plunger spring constant are some of the important design variables of catenary and the pantograph systems.