MER MEC Measuring System Assesses Ride Comfort on French High-Speed Lines
21 August 2006 15:53
As from June 12, SNCF has a new measuring train at its disposal for French high-speed rail network inspection. IRIS 320, this is the train name that has been chosen, is a TGV train set that has been converted for providing a wide set of measurements and recording functions on the French high-speed lines and part of the conventional network (some 7500 track-km in total) at speeds up to 320 km/h.
Vehicle/track interaction measured at the front, middle and rear of the train, will be assessed by MER MEC ride quality (I2V) monitoring system that evaluates the ride comfort at speeds up to 320 Km/h on the high-speed lines and up to 220 Km/h on the conventional lines.
MER MEC solution replaces the existing system installed on board of SNCF "Melusine" measuring car.12 parameters related to transversal and vertical accelerations on the bogie and body are measured by the monitoring system. Four parameters named ATC, AVC, ATB and AVB (transversal and vertical accelerations on coach and body) are acquired between the trailer coaches number one and two, four and five, seven and eight.
Measured data are filtered by special low-pass and band-pass filters developed in compliancy with SNCF specifications and already tested by MER MEC on similar projects. The system has been distributed along IRIS 320 train set to allow localized measurements that are immediately transmitted to a central unit and displayed on a monitor on board.
The I2V monitoring system interface directly the SNCF Localizer System in order to combine the acceleration measures with time and space information. System design and development has been challenging as IRIS 320 will inspect up to 280.000 Km per year and very high "RAMS - Reliability, Availability, Maintainability, Safety". Performance values have been requested by SNCF at the top speed allowed by the train.
For more information on this company:
Mer Mec - Rail, Track, Wheel, Overhead Line and Ride Quality Measuring Systems and Vehicles for Condition Monitoring of Conventional and High-Speed Railways
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