Delft University of Technology

Design Engineering and Production

Mechanical Engineering

Modelling of Rolling Contact

in a
Multibody Environment
Arend L. Schwab
Laboratory for Engineering Mechanics
Delft University of Technology
The Netherlands

Workshop on Multibody System Dynamics, University of Illinois at Chicago , May 12, 2003
 Contents

-FEM modelling
-Wheel Element
-Wheel-Rail Contact Element
-Example: Single Wheelset
-Example: Bicycle Dynamics
-Conclusions
 FEM modelling

2D Truss Element

4 Nodal Coordinates:
x  ( x1, y1, x2 , y2 )

3 Degrees of Freedom as a Rigid Body leaves:

1 Generalized Strain: l  l  l0

l  x2  x1    y2  y1 
2 2
 l0  ε  D(x )
Rigid Body Motion  ε  0 Constraint Equation
 Wheel Element Nodes

Generalized Nodes:
w  ( wx , w y , wz ) Position Wheel Centre

q  (q0 , q1, q2 , q3 , ) Euler parameters

Rotation Matrix: R(q)

c  (c x , c y , cz ) Contact Point

In total 10 generalized coordinates

Rigid body pure rolling: 3 degrees of freedom

Impose 7 Constraints
 Wheel Element Strains

Holonomic Constraints as zero generalized strains  ε  D( x )  0

Elongation:

1  (r  r  r02 ) /( 2r0 )
Lateral Bending:
 2  ew  r
Contact point on the surface:
 3  g (c )
Wheel perpendicular to the surface

Radius vector: r  c  w  4  (r  e w )  n
Rotated wheel axle: e w  R(q) ew
Normalization condition on Euler par:
Surface: g ( x )  0
 5  q02  q  q  1
Normal on surface: n  g (c )
 Wheel Element Slips
Non-Holonomic Constraints as zero generalized slips  s  V(x )x  0
Velocity of material point of wheel
at contact in c:

vc  w
  ωr

Generalized Slips:

Longitudinal slip

s1  a  vc
Radius vector: r  c  w Lateral slip
Two tangent vectors in c:
s2  b  c
a  (r  e w ) , b  n  (r  e w )
Angular velocity wheel: ω
 Wheel-Rail Contact Element
Nodes

Generalized Nodes:
w  ( wx , w y , wz ) Position Wheel Centre

q  (q0 , q1, q2 , q3 , ) Euler parameters

Rotation Matrix: R(q)

c  (c x , c y , cz ) Contact Point

In total 10 generalized coordinates

Rigid body pure rolling: 2 degrees of freedom

Impose 8 Constraints
 Wheel-Rail Contact Element
Strains
Holonomic Constraints as zero
generalized strains  ε  D(x )  0

Distance from c to Wheel surface:

1  g w ( r )
Distance from c to Rail surface:

 2  g r (c )
Wheel and Rail in Point Contact:

 3  nw  a r
 4  nw  b r
Wheel & Rail surface: g w ( x )  0 , g r (x )  0
Normalization condition on Euler par:
Local radius vector: r  RT (c  w)
Normal on Wheel surface: nw  Rg w  5  q02  q  q  1
Two Tangents in c: a r , br
 Wheel-Rail Contact Element
Slips
Non-Holonomic Constraints as zero
generalized slips  s  V(x )x  0

Velocity of material point of Wheel in

contact point c:
vc  w
  ωw  (c  w)

Generalized Slips:
Longitudinal slip:

s1  a r  vc
Lateral slip:

Wheel & Rail surface: g w ( x )  0 , g r (x )  0 s2  br  v c

Two Tangents in c: a r , br Spin:
Normal on Rail Surface: nr  g r s3  nr  ωw
Angular velocity wheel: ωw
 Single Wheelset
Example

Klingel Motion of a Wheelset

Wheel bands: S1002

Rails: UIC60
FEM-model :
Gauge: 1.435 m
2 Wheel-Rail, 2 Beams, 3 Hinges
Rail Slant: 1/40
Pure Rolling, Released Spin  1 DOF
 Single Wheelset
Profiles

Wheel band S1002 Rail profile UIC60

 Single Wheelset
Motion

Klingel Motion of a Wheelset

Wheel bands: S1002

Rails: UIC60
Theoretical Wave Length:
Gauge: 1.435 m
br0 (  w   r ) b
Rail Slant: 1/40   2  14.463 m
 w (b   r sin  )
 Single Wheelset
Example

Critical Speed of a Single Wheelset

Wheel bands: S1002, Rails: UIC60

Gauge: 1.435 m, Rail Slant: 1/20
m=1887 kg, I=1000,100,1000 kgm2 FEM-model :
Vertical Load 173 226 N 2 Wheel-Rail, 2 Beams, 3 Hinges
Yaw Spring Stiffness 816 kNm/rad Linear Creep + Saturation  4 DOF
 Single Wheelset
Constitutive

Critical Speed of a Single Wheelset

Linear Creep + Saturation according to Vermeulen & Johnson (1964)

F Tangential Force abGCii vi

w  Total Creep
f Fz Maximal Friction Force 3 fFz
 Single Wheelset
Limit Cycle
Limit Cycle Motion at v=131 m/s

Critical Speed of a Single Wheelset

Vcr=130 m/s
 Bicycle Dynamics
Example
Bicycle with Rigid Rider and No-Hands

Standard Dutch Bike

FEM-model :
2 Wheels, 2 Beams, 6 Hinges
Pure Rolling  3 DOF
 Bicycle Dynamics
Root Loci
Stability of the Forward Upright Steady Motion

Root Loci from the Linearized Equations of Motion. Parameter: forward speed v
 Bicycle Dynamics
Motion
Full Non-Linear Forward Dynamic Analysis at different speeds

Forward
Speed
v [m/s]:

18
14
11
10
5
0
 Conclusions

•Proposed Contact Elements are Suitable for Modelling Dynamic

Behaviour of Road and Track Guided Vehicles.

Further Investigation:
•Curvature Jumps in Unworn Profiles, they Cause Jumps in the
Speed of and Forces in the Contact Point.
•Difficulty to take into account Closely Spaced Double Point
Contact.