On track for stability

Rail travellers are familiar with aerodynamic forces — the lateral buffeting felt when a train passes on an adjacent line, or the change in air pressure on entering and exiting a tunnel.

Though the effect on the commuter may be relatively small, faster train speeds mean increasing variable aerodynamic forces could cause problems for trains and the railway infrastructure.

-funded research into Aerodynamic Train System Interactions, which begins next year and runs until 2009, aims to review and model knowledge on the unsteady transient aerodynamic forces that affect UK rail transport.

The project is a collaboration between

(UoB), led by Prof Chris Baker, and

(MMU), led by Dr Simon Iwnicki, and will be co-ordinated by

(RRUK). Industrial partners are

and the

(RSSB), an independent body that manages technical standards for railway assets and operations.

Dr Paul Allen, from the engineering and technology department at MMU, is one of the principal researchers on the project. 'As train speeds increase, there will be new challenges facing the UK rail network,' said Allen. 'Operating trains at high speeds with body-tilt systems affects their dynamic behaviour. This can reduce the clearance between vehicle and infrastructure, including rails, tunnels and bridges.