Combined Effects of Wind and Snow on High-Speed Train-Bridge Coupled System

During the winter months, the challenging natural environment characterized by strong winds, ice, and snow can greatly affect the functioning of high-speed railways. This paper focus on the combined effects of wind-snow flow on the safety of high-speed train-bridge coupled system. The research takes the 5 × 32m simply supported beam of the Harbin-Dalian high-speed railway as a case study to examine the dynamic response and safety indices of the coupled system. A CFD-DEM wind-snow flow coupling model is developed based on the Euler-Lagrange method, and the study compares the aerodynamic characteristics and dynamic responses of the vehicle-bridge system under the influence of crosswind versus the combined effects of wind-snow flow. The analysis also includes an examination of the vehicle’s dynamic response at different wind and train speeds. The results suggest that the wind-snow flow condition significantly alters the aerodynamic coefficients compared to the crosswind condition, with a reduction in drag but an increase in lift and moment coefficients for both the bridge and the train, indicating a more intense dynamic response in the presence of wind and snow.