EVALUATION OF MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE SPEED OF TILTING CAR IN KOREA CONVENTIONAL RAILWAY

초록

High speed tilting car has superior advantages to non-tilting car in curves. Quantitative analysis on such advantages is essential in reasonable estimation of the cost required to improve an alignment of existing track. In this paper, a quantitative analysis on the equivalent amounts of cant due to the introduction of high-speed tilting car are carried out, which is based on the current alignment of existing track in Joong-Ang Line. In addition, the maximum allowable speed and the amounts of speed-up in curves are also evaluated. It is found that the tilting car gives rise to the additional amounts of cant, which corresponds to 47.5 % of the actual amounts of cant. It can be explained by the fact that the center of gravity of tilting car is 1.34m away from the rail level and is much lower than non-tilting locomotives. It also guarantees a higher level of safety against a risk of overturning in curve section. The equivalent amount of cant due to the lateral displacement of a center of gravity followed by the tilting operation in curves is approximately 2.4 mm. It cannot be neglected and must be included in calculating a maximum speed in curve. It can be concluded that a speed-up of about 15% in curves is reasonable under the current conditions of alignment, provided that the improvement in a low level is made."