Semi-active control of independently rotating wheels in railway vehicles

This paper presents an in-depth analysis of steering and guidance problems of independently rotating wheels (IRWs) in railway vehicles and provides an engineering insight into the possibilities for passive and/or semi-active control possibilities that do not require expensive full-active systems. The theoretical development is then supported in the study by carrying out a comprehensive performance evaluation in comparison with a full active control. The study demonstrates that the independently rotating wheelset may be effectively controlled via semi-active approaches to provide the wheelsets with the necessary steering on curves and self-centring ability on a straight track with irregularities with performance comparable with full active systems.