Managing Calculation Scenarios

in SIMPACK using MATLAB

Marc Stiepel
6th December 2018
1. Examples of Railway Vehicle Platforms

2. Dynamic Assessment of Railway Vehicles

3. SIMPACK – MATLAB Scenario-Manager

4. Summary

ALSTOM - 30/11/2018 – P 2
© ALSTOM SA, 2015. All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is indicative only. No representation or warranty is given or should be relied on that it is complete or correct or will apply to any particular project.
This will depend on the technical and commercial circumstances. It is provided without liability and is subject to change without notice. Reproduction, use or disclosure to third parties, without express written authorisation, is strictly prohibited
Examples of Railway Vehicle Platforms

Coradia Lint – Coradia iLint

• Regional Trains with vmax = 140km/h
• Single or multiple Carbodies
- Non-articulated train, up to 3 carbodies => Lint 27 / 54 / 81 Lint 27
- Articulated train, 2 carbodies => Lint 41
• Power Source Lint 41 (articulated)
- Diesel powered train => standard Coradia Lint
- Hydrogen powered train => Coradia iLint
• Bogie Types Lint 54
- Classical motor and trailer bogies
- Jakobs bogie for Lint 41 (articulated)
• Well accepted Platform
- Appr. 900 trains in service iLint – Lint 54
more than 80 Mio. km/year hydrogen power
- at 20 customers
Lint 81

ALSTOM - 30/11/2018 – P 3
© ALSTOM SA, 2015. All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is indicative only. No representation or warranty is given or should be relied on that it is complete or correct or will apply to any particular project.
This will depend on the technical and commercial circumstances. It is provided without liability and is subject to change without notice. Reproduction, use or disclosure to third parties, without express written authorisation, is strictly prohibited
 Examples of Railway Vehicle Platforms

Coradia Continental
• Regional Trains with vmax = 160km/h
• Electrical multiple Units, articulated
- 3-car / 4-car / 5-car / 6-car units
- Flexible length of end car, standard + XL 3-car
- 2 floor-levels available unit

• Bogie Types
- Classical end-bogies incl. traction 4-car
- Jakobs bogie as unit
− Motor bogie
− Trailer bogie

• Well accepted Platform 4-car

- 222 trains in service unit XL
more than 35 Mio. km/year
- in 13 different versions
- at 6 customers
5-car
unit

ALSTOM - 30/11/2018 – P 4
© ALSTOM SA, 2015. All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is indicative only. No representation or warranty is given or should be relied on that it is complete or correct or will apply to any particular project.
This will depend on the technical and commercial circumstances. It is provided without liability and is subject to change without notice. Reproduction, use or disclosure to third parties, without express written authorisation, is strictly prohibited
 Examples of Railway Vehicle Platforms

Coradia Stream
• Regional and Intercity Trains with vmax = 200km/h
• Electrical multiple Units
- 3-car, 4-car, …, up to 8-car units
- Articulated 3-car unit
- Articulated with short cuppling (mixed architecture)
• Bogie Types
- Classical end-bogies as 4-car unit
− Motor bogie
− Trailer bogie
- Jakobs bogie as trailer bogie
5-car unit
• New Development, currently
- 7 different units
- 2 contracts, 180 vehicles

8-car unit

ALSTOM - 30/11/2018 – P 5
© ALSTOM SA, 2015. All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is indicative only. No representation or warranty is given or should be relied on that it is complete or correct or will apply to any particular project.
This will depend on the technical and commercial circumstances. It is provided without liability and is subject to change without notice. Reproduction, use or disclosure to third parties, without express written authorisation, is strictly prohibited
Examples of Railway Vehicle Platforms

Railway Vehicles - Vehicle Platforms

• Vehicle Platform Definition
Total number of
- Typical for trams / metros, regional trains,
vehicles is comparably low
High Speed (up to 360km/h), locomotives
nVeh<< 1000
- Predefined set of carbodies / carbody types
- Standard types of bogies Number of
− End- / mid-bogie
differing vehicles
− Motor- / trailer-bogie
is high
• Modularisation
- Flexible number of carbodies
− Masses & Inertia
- Varying internal layout of carbodies,
=> depending on customer requirements − Bogie- / Wheelset-loads
- Mixed architecture, non-articulated / articulated − Suspension characteristics
- Traction level

Railway Vehicle Platforms offer a high modularity while number of unique vehicles is low!
ALSTOM - 30/11/2018 – P 6
© ALSTOM SA, 2015. All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is indicative only. No representation or warranty is given or should be relied on that it is complete or correct or will apply to any particular project.
This will depend on the technical and commercial circumstances. It is provided without liability and is subject to change without notice. Reproduction, use or disclosure to third parties, without express written authorisation, is strictly prohibited
 Dynamic Assessment of Railway Vehicles

Railway Vehicle Dynamics – Calculations and Tests

Vehicle Dynamic design – Determination of Homologation of Railway Vehicles / Vehicle
Suspension Characteristics Platforms
• Safety against derailment • Single vehicle / reference vehicle
- Full range of on-track tests is required for approval (EN 14363)
• Vehicle sway, gauging parameters - Additional calculational proofs
• Dynamic assessment, curving performance, running • Homologation of platform vehicles – extension based
safety, track loading on reference solution
• Running stability - Additional tests, simplified range or
- Calculational proof instead of on-track test
• Safety against crosswind
• …
• Ride characteristics, passenger comfort
• …

ALSTOM - 30/11/2018 – P 7
© ALSTOM SA, 2015. All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is indicative only. No representation or warranty is given or should be relied on that it is complete or correct or will apply to any particular project.
This will depend on the technical and commercial circumstances. It is provided without liability and is subject to change without notice. Reproduction, use or disclosure to third parties, without express written authorisation, is strictly prohibited
Dynamic Assessment of Railway Vehicles

Assessment of On-Track measurements

Evaluation of the Test-Results
• Using in-house development – no commercial solution available
• Based on MATLAB
• Full range of assessment according to EN14363 is implemented

Pros
+ Powerful tools for signal processing
+ Code generation and debugging is comparatively easy
+ Availability of powerful plot tools
=> suitable for documentation

Cons
- Maintenance of the software has to be managed

ALSTOM - 30/11/2018 – P 8
© ALSTOM SA, 2015. All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is indicative only. No representation or warranty is given or should be relied on that it is complete or correct or will apply to any particular project.
This will depend on the technical and commercial circumstances. It is provided without liability and is subject to change without notice. Reproduction, use or disclosure to third parties, without express written authorisation, is strictly prohibited
 Dynamic Assessment of Railway Vehicles

Theoretical studies using MBS software packages

ALSTOM has chosen SIMPACK as standard MBS software

Pros
+ Generally accepted Wheel-Rail-Contact
+ Excellent solver technology
+ Multi-level sub-structuring of models

Cons
- Post processing of results - documentation
- No suitable standard channel names are available
=> renaming is always necessary
- Signal processing is restricted and not powerful
- Scripting language
- Implementation and debugging is uncomfortable
- No extended Mathematics / Numerics or signal processing included

=> Check availability of options to combine SIMPACK and MATLAB

ALSTOM - 30/11/2018 – P 9
© ALSTOM SA, 2015. All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is indicative only. No representation or warranty is given or should be relied on that it is complete or correct or will apply to any particular project.
This will depend on the technical and commercial circumstances. It is provided without liability and is subject to change without notice. Reproduction, use or disclosure to third parties, without express written authorisation, is strictly prohibited
Scenario Manager – Combining SIMPACK and MATLAB

Extended Options available with – SIMPACK 9.x / 10.x / 20xx

Solver Part
• Solver call from the command line • defined interface SIMPACK  MATLAB
=> in combination with • Modification of SIMPACK model possible
SIMPACK-Scripting => Parameter variation within MATLAB
• Use of Component Object Model • Application of the interface had to be developed
=> COM-interface => both solutions have been implemented!
Result Export
• Use of MATLAB result export Selection and renaming of channels had to be
- Large extra files if combined with SBR
implemented => solved
- Extending duration for measurements

• Use of Component Object Model Allows direct reading of SIMPACK SBR files
=> COM-interface within MATLAB!
=> No MATLAB result export necessary

=> Start of development of “SIMPACK / MATLAB Scenario Manager”

ALSTOM - 30/11/2018 – P 10
© ALSTOM SA, 2015. All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is indicative only. No representation or warranty is given or should be relied on that it is complete or correct or will apply to any particular project.
This will depend on the technical and commercial circumstances. It is provided without liability and is subject to change without notice. Reproduction, use or disclosure to third parties, without express written authorisation, is strictly prohibited
 Scenario Manager – The Idea

The Idea - Requirements

Effective calculation of standard tasks Standardized evaluation of results
• Static calculations • Include renaming of channels
- Safety against derailment • Automated generation of plots / tables
=> twist and Y-force calculation
- “Documentation ready”
- Static sway
- Supporting several languages
- …
• Dynamic calculations • Include required filtering
- Curving analysis, entry, passing, s-shaped, … • Full data access in MATLAB
- Nonlinear stability - Time series data from SBR incl. meta data
- Crosswind calculation - Evaluated results - tables
- … For all required vehicle configurations => for specific and further evaluations
• Linear analysis • Load-cases, empty, normal payload, …
• Airspring / auxiliary spring operation
• Failure modes, e.g. Anti-Yaw-Damper

Solution should be independent from: model structure => applicable to platforms

model naming => use of external models

ALSTOM - 30/11/2018 – P 11
© ALSTOM SA, 2015. All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is indicative only. No representation or warranty is given or should be relied on that it is complete or correct or will apply to any particular project.
This will depend on the technical and commercial circumstances. It is provided without liability and is subject to change without notice. Reproduction, use or disclosure to third parties, without express written authorisation, is strictly prohibited
Scenario Manager – The Solution

On SIMPACK side – Recommended Setup …

Split model into Scenario defining and Vehicle
• Operational modes • Loaded as substructure into the scenario
- Airspring => can be exchanged easily
- Aux. spring (with/without levelling)
- … • Supporting basic settings from scenario
Using communicators - Load cases
• Load cases
- Operational modes
- Operational load
- Normal load - Calculational modes
- … • Does not contain modelling elements
• Calculational modes • Assembly consisting of
- Static calc. (twist test, …) - Carbodies
- Dynamic calc., curving, …. - Bogies
• Tracks - Articulations
- …

Same scenario can / will be used for numerous vehicles / vehicle platforms
ALSTOM - 30/11/2018 – P 12
© ALSTOM SA, 2015. All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is indicative only. No representation or warranty is given or should be relied on that it is complete or correct or will apply to any particular project.
This will depend on the technical and commercial circumstances. It is provided without liability and is subject to change without notice. Reproduction, use or disclosure to third parties, without express written authorisation, is strictly prohibited
Scenario Manager – The Solution

On MATLAB side …
Object oriented solution is chosen consisting of a
• Project => container
• Scenario => representing the SIMPACK Scenario
• Vehicle => representing the SIMPACK Vehicle
• Calculation-objects => defining solver-runs
- Predefined standard tasks, curving, crosswind, nonl. stability, …
- List of predefined SubVars to vary => SubVar-names can be defined
- List of additional SubVars to vary => allow individual variations
- Access to tracks, solver-settings, …
• Evaluation-objects => perform the evaluation of any SBR
- Reads the SIMPACK-SBR via the COM-interface
- Calculates eval.-values, Max. or End value of force, RMS of acc., …
- Ability to plot results, time-series of calculation incl. evaluation-values
- Bar-plots of set of calculations for comparison

ALSTOM - 30/11/2018 – P 13
© ALSTOM SA, 2015. All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is indicative only. No representation or warranty is given or should be relied on that it is complete or correct or will apply to any particular project.
This will depend on the technical and commercial circumstances. It is provided without liability and is subject to change without notice. Reproduction, use or disclosure to third parties, without express written authorisation, is strictly prohibited
Scenario Manager – Defining the Scenario

The MATLAB Scenario % --- basic configuration ---------------------------------------------

% filename of Simpack-Model containing the calc. Scenario
• MATLAB object of type ScenarioM.Scenario Sc
Sc.SPCK.fFile
= ScenarioM.Scenario;
= 'D:\SIMPACK\Modelle\Scenario.spck';
% vehicle Substructure within Main-Model
• represents the SIMPACK Scenario Sc.Veh.SimpackName = '$S_Veh';

% --- opModes ---------------------------------------------------------

• is defined as Sc.opMode.SubVar = {'$G_Flag.$_Deflated' ...
'$G_Flag.$_Levelling'};
- MATLAB script .m-file Sc.opMode.State(1).DisplayName = 'Airspring w. Lev.';
Sc.opMode.State(1).Value = [0 1];
- MATLAB binary file .mat-file
Sc.opMode.State(2).DisplayName = 'Aux. Spring';

• defines Sc.opMode.State(2).Value = [1 0];

% --- loadCases -------------------------------------------------------

- SIMPACK-model to be used Sc.loadCase.SubVar = '$_LoadSetIndex';
Sc.loadCase.State(1).DisplayName = 'op. Load';
- Substructure name of vehicle within the model Sc.loadCase.State(1).Value = 1;

- Operational modes, load cases and calculational modes Sc.loadCase.State(2).DisplayName = 'norm. Load';
Sc.loadCase.State(2).Value = 2;

• mainly on the basis of SubVars % --- calcModes -------------------------------------------------------

Sc.calcMode(1) = ScenarioM.cState();
Sc.calcMode(1).DisplayName = 'dynamic Calc.';
Sc.calcMode(1).Track = '$Trk_Track';
Sc.calcMode(1).SubVar(1) = ScenarioM.SubVar('Name', '$G_Flag.$_B55', ...
Independence from model structure 'Value', 0);
Sc.calcMode(1).SubVar(2) = ScenarioM.SubVar('Name', '$_vVeh', ...
& model naming 'Value', 2, 'Unit', 'm/s');

ALSTOM - 30/11/2018 – P 14
© ALSTOM SA, 2015. All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is indicative only. No representation or warranty is given or should be relied on that it is complete or correct or will apply to any particular project.
This will depend on the technical and commercial circumstances. It is provided without liability and is subject to change without notice. Reproduction, use or disclosure to third parties, without express written authorisation, is strictly prohibited
Scenario Manager – Defining the Vehicle % --- names -----------------------------------------------------------
Veh = ScenarioM.Veh.Veh;
Veh.Name = 'VehShortName';
Veh.DisplayName = 'long Name of Vehicle - will be displayed';

% --- carbodies -------------------------------------------------------

Veh.CB(1).Name = 'CB.A1';
The MATLAB Vehicle Veh.CB(1).DisplayName = 'WK_{A1}';
Veh.CB(1).acc = {'$C_acc_EndBogie' '$C_acc_Middle' '$C_acc_MiddleBogie'};
Veh.CB(1).SimpackName = '$S_CB_A1';
• MATLAB object of type ScenarioM.Veh.Vehicle Veh.CB(1).Body = ‘$B_Carbody';

Veh.CB(2).Name = 'CB.A2';
• represents the SIMPACK Vehicle Veh.CB(2).DisplayName = 'WK_{A2}';
Veh.CB(2).acc = {'$C_acc_MiddleBogie' '$C_acc_Middle' '$C_acc_EndBogie'};

• is defined as Veh.CB(2).SimpackName
Veh.CB(2).Body
=
=
'$S_CB_A2';
‘$B_Carbody';

- MATLAB script .m-file

% --- bogies ----------------------------------------------------------
- MATLAB binary file .mat-file Veh.BG(1).Name = 'DG1';
veh.BG(1).DisplayName = 'BG1';
• defines Veh.BG(1).SimpackName = '$S_BG1';
Veh.BG(1).Body = '$S_Base.$B_Centre';
Veh.BG(1).dz1_Ri = {'$S_SwingArmFrRi.$S_Dxyz' '$S_SwingArmReRi.$S_Dxyz'};
- Carbodies, bogies, wheelsets (implemented as objects) Veh.BG(1).dz1_Le = {'$S_SwingArmFrLe.$S_Dxyz' '$S_SwingArmReLe.$S_Dxyz'};
Veh.BG(1).dz2_Ri = {'$S_secSusp.$S_Dxyz_ri'};
- Standard names – DisplayNames – support of TeX-style Veh.BG(1).dz2_Le = {'$S_secSusp.$S_Dxyz_le'};
=> to be used for plots Veh.BG(2) = Veh.BG(1).copy();
- Element names – Substructure, Body, FEs, … Veh.BG(2).Name = 'DG2';
Veh.BG(2).SimpackName = '$S_BG2';
=> access to SBR-channels Veh.BG(2).dz2_Ri = {'$S_secSusp.$S_Dxyz_ri_inX' 'S_secSusp.$S_Dxyz_ri_vsX'};
Veh.BG(2).dz2_Le = {'$S_secSusp.$S_Dxyz_le_inX' 'S_secSusp.$S_Dxyz_le_vsX'};

Veh.BG(3) = Veh.BG(1).copy();
Veh.BG(3).Name = 'DG3';
Independence from model structure Veh.BG(3).SimpackName = '$S_BG3';
& model naming nWS = 2;
for iBG=1:numel(Veh.BG)
for iWS=1:nWS
Veh.BG(iBG).WS(iWS).Name = sprintf('RS%u', iWS);
Veh.BG(iBG).WS(iWS).SimpackName = sprintf('$S_WS%u', iWS);
end
end

ALSTOM - 30/11/2018 – P 15
© ALSTOM SA, 2015. All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is indicative only. No representation or warranty is given or should be relied on that it is complete or correct or will apply to any particular project.
This will depend on the technical and commercial circumstances. It is provided without liability and is subject to change without notice. Reproduction, use or disclosure to third parties, without express written authorisation, is strictly prohibited
 Scenario Manager – The Calculation-Object

The MATLAB Calculation-Object

split in Set & Case % Set
XWindS = ScenarioM.XWind.XWindS;
XWindS.calcMode = Proj.calcMode(1); % calcMode to be used
• Set defining => setup, can be referenced by multiple cases XWindS.Track = '$Trk_CrossWind'; % Track for calc.
XWindS.SlvSet = '$SLV_XWind'; % Solver-Setting
- SubVar names for calculation input XWindS.ParN4vVeh = '$_vVeh'; % SubVar def. veh. velocity
XWindS.ParN4vWind = '$G_XWind.$_vWind'; % SubVar def. wind velocity
- Solver-setting, track to be used XWindS.ParN4betaW = '$G_XWind.$_betaW'; % SubVar def. wind angle
XWindS.ParN4aq = '$G_XWind.$_aq'; % SubVar def. unb. lat. acc.
- Possibility to set additional SubVars XWindS.SubVar(1) = ScenarioM.SubVar('Name', '$G_Flag.$_XWind', ...
'Value', 1); % => free parameter

• Case setting => calculation task defining the solver-run % Case

XWindC = ScenarioM.XWind.XWindC();
XWindC.Set = XWindS; % reference to Set
- Values for the input parameters XWindC(1).loadCase = 1; % load Case
XWindC(1).opMode = 1; % op. Mode
- Vehicle configuration, load case, operational mode XWindC.vVeh = '120km/h'; % veh. velocity
XWindC.aq = '0m/s^2'; % unb. lat. acc.
- Solver-setting, track can be overwritten in the case XWindC.vWind = '20m/s'; % wind velocity
XWindC.betaW = 90; % wind angle
- Possibility to set additional SubVars XWindS.SubVar = []; % add. SubVars to set
XWindC.calc(); % run the calc.

• Several standard tasks implemented

=> curving, crosswind, …
• Generalized task available

=> Allows repetition of complete sets of different calculations

ALSTOM - 30/11/2018 – P 16
© ALSTOM SA, 2015. All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is indicative only. No representation or warranty is given or should be relied on that it is complete or correct or will apply to any particular project.
This will depend on the technical and commercial circumstances. It is provided without liability and is subject to change without notice. Reproduction, use or disclosure to third parties, without express written authorisation, is strictly prohibited
Scenario Manager – The Evaluation-Object

The MATLAB Evaluation-Objects

• Evaluation-Objects are based on the Scenario and the Vehicle MATLAB code example

• SBR is processed automatically XWind = ScenarioM.Eval.EvXWind;

% set Scenario
• Evaluation is independent from the calculation-objects XWind.Scenario = "...\ExampleSc.m";
% set Vehicle
• Several standard tasks implemented => curving, crosswind, … XWind.Veh = "...\ExampleVeh.m";
% Define static Wheelloads
• General access of SIMPACK-results is possible XWind.Q0 = Q0;
% set the Result-file
• Evaluations include XWind.Result = "...\Example.sbr";
- Signal-processing % plot results
XWind.plot();
- Determination of characteristic values, Min / Max, RMS, …
• Results are accessible
- Directly in MATLAB
- As formatted tables in Excel – including export as graphics
- Plot of time history including presentation of characteristic values
- Bar-plots of characteristic values used for comparing sets of calculations

ALSTOM - 30/11/2018 – P 17
© ALSTOM SA, 2015. All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is indicative only. No representation or warranty is given or should be relied on that it is complete or correct or will apply to any particular project.
This will depend on the technical and commercial circumstances. It is provided without liability and is subject to change without notice. Reproduction, use or disclosure to third parties, without express written authorisation, is strictly prohibited
Scenario Manager – The Evaluation-Object

Evaluation-Object Example
• Using in-house Plot-environment in MATLAB
• General information is always included
- Vehicle name
- Load case, operational mode
- Result information, filename, date
• Example for crosswind calculation acc. to EN14067-6
- Wheelloads of all wheels – RSi Qre/li
=> raw data from SBR
- Sum of wheelloads per bogie side – SQre/li
=> calculated and filtered
- Residual wheelload
=> criteria for calculation
- Wind velocity acting on carbodies – WKCB vWind
=> standardized gust acc. to EN 14067-6

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© ALSTOM SA, 2015. All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is indicative only. No representation or warranty is given or should be relied on that it is complete or correct or will apply to any particular project.
This will depend on the technical and commercial circumstances. It is provided without liability and is subject to change without notice. Reproduction, use or disclosure to third parties, without express written authorisation, is strictly prohibited
 Coradia, Example-Vehicle, 3-car unit
Scenario Manager – The Evaluation-Object

Evaluation-Object – Example
• Comparison of multiple tasks / runs
• Curving performance – dyn. derailment coefficient Y/Q
- Max. Y/Q within bogie while curving
- 4 bogies
- 4 curves differing in radius – 300m / 500m / 800m / 1000m
• 4 Vehicle configurations
- Operation on airspring / auxiliary spring
- For operational load and exceptional load of vehicle
MATLAB code example
% bar-plot of selected results
Curve(1:16).bar();

Overview via
- A single characteristic value
- 16 calculations in total

ALSTOM - 30/11/2018 – P 19
© ALSTOM SA, 2015. All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is indicative only. No representation or warranty is given or should be relied on that it is complete or correct or will apply to any particular project.
This will depend on the technical and commercial circumstances. It is provided without liability and is subject to change without notice. Reproduction, use or disclosure to third parties, without express written authorisation, is strictly prohibited
Managing Calculation Scenarios in SIMPACK using MATLAB

Summary
 ALSTOM CoE Regional Bogies is assessing Railway Vehicle Dynamics using
following software packages:
• SIMPACK for Multi-Body-System calculations
• MATLAB for numerical calculations and the evaluation of on-track measurements

 A tool for managing SIMPACK calculations and evaluations within MATLAB has
been developed
• Based on a simple description of the SIMPACK Scenario / Vehicle in MATLAB
• Using the Component Object Model of SIMPACK => access to SIMPACK model & SBR
• Independent from model structure and naming => generalized application
• Serves as replacement for SIMPACK DoE => higher flexibility
• Automatized output of plot pages, tables, … => „Documentation ready“

The Scenario Manager is increasing the efficiency in solving standard tasks during vehicle design
ALSTOM - 30/11/2018 – P 20
© ALSTOM SA, 2015. All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is indicative only. No representation or warranty is given or should be relied on that it is complete or correct or will apply to any particular project.
This will depend on the technical and commercial circumstances. It is provided without liability and is subject to change without notice. Reproduction, use or disclosure to third parties, without express written authorisation, is strictly prohibited
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