Dynamics of Railway Infrastructures

Assessing dynamic performance for railway vehicles heavily relies on factors such as driving comfort. Various techniques in the literature exist for evaluating driving comfort in mixed traffic conditions and route geometry. The indices ride comfort ( \(W_Z\) ) and vehicle ride quality ( \(W_R\) ), formulated by Sperling, are commonly used in this research. Furthermore, experimental investigations have confirmed that driving comfort is influenced by speed and position within the bodywork. Vibrations stimulate the human body differently. The Sperling comfort index evaluates the effects of vibration on passenger comfort. The Sperling index is related to a scale of values and represents an objective value. The objection is that driving comfort could be a subjective parameter and therefore not measurable accurately; driving comfort may not be the only factor in assessing the dynamic performance of railway vehicles, as factors, such as weather conditions or railway maintenance, may affect driving comfort and the accuracy of the \(W_Z\) and \(W_R\) indices. This research validates the influence of velocity on ride comfort and the critical position of the car body from the ride comfort perspective.