Analysis of Train-Overturn Derailments caused by Excessive Curving Speed

摘要

"Train-Overturn Derailment" is not complex in terms of the physical mechanism, but human injury and fatality as a result of accidents is excessively serious, and many accidents have happened within the last ten years throughout the world. It is very regrettable not to share the information of investigation results and the countermeasures of previous accidents, in order to prevent reoccurrences of the same kind of accidents. In this paper, the authors introduce the outline of five accidents within the last ten years, and report the results of comprehensive considerations of the reoccurrence of the same kind of accidents. In order to consider countermeasures to the accidents, the relationship between the critical curving speed and related parameters is considered by using the simplified Kunieda's formula and multi-body simulation by SIMPACK. According to the results, the critical speed is heavily influenced by the ratio of "the gravity centre height of the vehicle" to "track gauge width". Finally, the authors show effective countermeasures to the accidents, including the setup of speed-limit signalling systems.