Braking force distribution strategy for virtual rail trains based on I-curve

The virtual rail trains have attracted much attention in recent years thanks to their high passenger capacity and low construction cost. In this paper, braking force distribution strategy for virtual rail trains with three-car and six-axle was studied. Based on the principle of axle load proportion distribution, braking force distribution method of the four-wheel single car under curve braking was studied by applying the I-curve theory. The distribution laws of centrifugal force between axles during curve braking were analyzed, the lateral force provided by the tires of each axle can be calculated, and the remaining tire adhesion can be set as the upper limit of braking force, which can ensure the maximum utilization of tire adhesion. The method was extended to multi-series trains by analyzing the additional influence of hinge points on the lateral force, and a braking force distribution strategy considering the car body hinge coupling relationship was proposed. Finally, the effectiveness of the strategy was verified by hardware-in-the-loop tests. The research results provide guidelines on the brake control of newly emerged virtual rail trains.