Development of a full-scale roller-rig to test high speed trains under degraded adhesion conditions

In this paper the modelling and control of an innovative Hardware In the Loop (HIL) architecture to test high speed trains on full-scale roller-rigs is described. The new approach allows to reproduce on the roller-rig a generic wheel-rail adhesion pattern and, in particular, degraded adhesion conditions. The presented strategy will be also implemented in the innovative full-scale roller-rig of the Railway Research and Approval Center of Firenze-Osmannoro (Italy); the new roller-rig has been built by Trenitalia whereas the actuation system is developed by SICME. At this initial phase of the research activity, to effectively validate the proposed approach, a complete model of the HIL system has been developed. The complete numerical model is based on the real characteristics of the components provided by Trenitalia. The results coming from the simulation model have been compared to the experimental data provided by Trenitalia and relative to on-track tests performed in Velim, Czech Republic, with a UIC-Z1 coach equipped with a fully-working Wheel Slide Protection System (WSP). The preliminary validation performed with the HIL model highlights the good performance of the HIL strategy in reproducing on the roller-rig the complex interaction between degraded adhesion conditions and railway vehicle dynamics during braking manoeuvres.