Research on dynamic interaction between seated human and railway vehicle focusing on carbody swaying

Abstract

The dynamic interaction between the human body and railway vehicles is pivotal for both operational performance and passenger experience. Existing models often neglect biodynamic coupling under multifactorial vibrations and oversimplify human biomechanics. Moreover, although carbody swaying originates fundamentally from mismatched wheel-rail contact conditions, its coupling effects with seated humans remain poorly understood. This study investigates the dynamic interaction mechanisms of the human-vehicle coupling system focusing on carbody swaying through theoretical analysis and numerical simulation. A seated human-vehicle coupling dynamics model is established and validated using existing research and measured data. The dynamic responses of the coupling system to track irregularities and carbody swaying are analyzed. The impact of carbody swaying on the vibration characteristics of both the vehicle and the human body is examined by varying running speeds and wheel profiles. The influence of the human body on vehicle vibrations and carbody swaying is explored. The findings reveal significant differences in vibration transmission between vehicle components and human body segments, along with noticeable variations in vibration perception among different seating positions. Carbody swaying markedly amplifies lateral vibrations, substantially deteriorating both vehicle stability and ride comfort. The structural properties of the human body demonstrate a dual effect: reducing the critical speed range for carbody swaying while amplifying instability amplitudes through dynamic mass-spring coupling. Human biodynamics suppresses vehicle vibrations at lower speeds but exhibits amplification effects at higher operational speeds.