Rolling Noise on Curved Track: An Efficient Time Domain Model Including Coupling Between the Two Wheels and Rails

High levels of vibration and noise usually arise when a railway vehicle negotiates a tight curve. The rolling noise radiated by the vibration of the wheel and rail is generally greater than on straight track. Although models of rolling noise on straight track are well established, much less attention has been given to curved track. The present study introduces a computationally efficient time-domain simulation model that is applied to curved track. To model the track a moving Green’s function approach is used but for the wheel, due to its low damping, the impulse response is quite long so a state-space approach is preferred. The current study introduces a novel combination of these two approaches. Additionally, the presence of steady lateral creepage during curving introduces a cross term between the vertical and lateral dynamics in the wheel/rail contact. Moreover, coupling between the two rails through the sleepers and between the two wheels through the axle are considered. The study indicates a significant influence of the lateral contact position and the effect of the steady creepage on the rolling noise in a curve. The inclusion of the coupling between the two sides of the wheel-rail system modifies the results at low frequency.