The RUN2RAIL project (Innovative RUNning gear soluTiOns for new dependable, sustainable, intelligent and comfortable RAIL vehicles) will explore an ensemble of technical developments for future running gear, looking into ways to design trains that are more reliable, lighter, less damaging to the track, more comfortable and less noisy.
These innovations will be proposed in the form of case studies supported by the methods and tools elaborated in the project. The project develops across four thematic Work Streams:
- Innovative sensors & condition monitoring. Transpose to the bogie condition monitoring hardware and methods widely developed in the energy and aerospace industry.
- Optimised materials & manufacturing technologies. Explore the potential and risks presented by new materials (lightweighting structural components, enhanced materials, efficient fabrication processes, new solutions for wheelsets to reduce unsprung masses and life cycle costs.
- Active suspensions & mechatronics. Assessment of off-the-shelf technology for active control from other sectors, investigate use of intelligent suspensions to allow simpler and lighter architecture of the running gear, analysis of interactions between active suspensions and transmission of noise and vibration from the running gear into the carbody.
- Noise & Vibration. Development of a novel and comprehensive methodology for predicting the transmission of noise and vibration from the running gear to the carbody and validation in measurement campaign in Spain, assessment of new and existing techniques for reducing noise and vibration transmission using the new model.
Within the four workstreams, the project will also perform a preliminary evaluation of the related regulatory and standardisation issues, together with a careful assessment of the impacts of the new solutions proposed. The research conducted will be multidisciplinary, i.e. based on the integration of different branches of engineering such as mechanical, materials, electronic and electrical engineering, and will establish models and formal methods to explore a full set of technological developments, exploiting at best the matching mix of talent and diverse skills offered by the Consortium.
