High-Speed Train-Tunnel Interactions

Aerodynamics plays a crucial role in the design and development of high-speed trains from the point of view of cost effectiveness, safety, comfort, and minimal impact on the environment, amongst many other factors. Train-tunnel interaction create pressure transients which may threaten the structural integrity of the trains and may also cause some discomfort to the passengers.

A three dimensional numerical simulation is performed to investigate the unsteady compressible turbulent flow induced by a practical train passing through a single-track tunnel having an entrance and an exit using a modified KIVA-3 code. The train is treated as solid object, which moves through the mesh using the modified snapper technique. The experimental results of a projectile shooting into a pipe are used to validate the modified code and compared well with the computational data, especially in the period of the projectile entry, which shows the code can be used to predict the pressure fluctuations of train-tunnel system.

In an attempt to better understand the aerodynamic phenomena peculiar to the train-tunnel interaction, the formation and propagation of the pressure waves, the radiation and reflection of the waves at the tunnel portals and the histories of aerodynamic forces on the train are discussed. It is known the speed of the train plays a dominant role in determining the pattern of pressure histories in the train-tunnel system. Accordingly, the flow field with the proper shorter train/tunnel can be assumed to mirror the main features of the real train-tunnel interaction, which is of significant for the three-dimensional simulation by saving the CPU time.

In the near future, the yawing movement acting on the aft car of the train and crossing of two trains in the tunnel will be studied.


For a larger image, click on the picture.

A High-Speed Train Passing Through A Tunnel

  • Introduction

  • Specifications of the train-tunnel system

  • Computation model

  • computation grid

  • computation grid

  • Validation

  • Evolution of pressure contours of the train running through the tunnel

  • Pressure contours on the train and tunnel wall, and velocity vectors surround the train

  • Pressure contours on the train and tunnel wall, and velocity vectors surround the train

  • Pressure distribution along the tunnel axis and the upper surface of the train

  • Pressure histories on the train

  • The histories of aerodynamic forces acting on the train

    Two High-Speed Trains Passing each other in Tunnel


    under construction

    Pictures and dimensions of the trains


  • 681 Series passenger train

  • 500 Series Shinkansen passenger train

  • 500 Series Shinkansen passenger train

  • MLX01 Head car, aero-wedge, of Maglev Test Vehicle

  • MLX01 Head car, double cusp, of Maglev Test Vehicle

  • Major dimensions of front car of 681 Series passenger train (Maximum speed: 160 km/h)

  • Major dimensions of front car of MIN350 test passenger train (Maximum test speed: 350 km/h)

  • Major dimensions of front car of 500 Series Shinkansen passenger train (Maximum speed: 300 km/h)

  • Major dimensions of front car of 700 Series Shinkansen passenger train (Maximum speed: 275 km/h)

  • Major dimensions of cross-section of single-track tunnel

  • Major dimensions of cross-section of double-track tunnel

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