Stochastic Response Analysis of the Maglev Vehicle–Bridge Coupled System Considering Uncertain Parameters

Previous studies on maglev vehicle–bridge coupled systems have mostly described the bridge using classical boundary conditions, while the effects of general constrained boundaries and uncertain parameters have not been fully considered. In this study, an energy-based dynamic model of a maglev vehicle–bridge coupled system is established. The boundary constraints of the bridge are introduced through equivalent springs, so that complex boundary conditions can be represented in a unified form. The proposed model is verified by comparison with published results. On this basis, Monte Carlo simulations are carried out to investigate the effects of random suspension parameters and random control parameters on the dynamic responses of the system. Two simplified electromagnetic-force models are also considered, and Sobol sensitivity analysis is used to evaluate the contributions of different parameters to the vibration responses and vibration energy. The results indicate that the suspension and control parameters affect different response quantities in different ways. The two electromagnetic-force models also lead to different sensitivity results, especially when the vibration energy is used as the evaluation index. The proposed method provides a useful tool for analyzing the stochastic vibration mechanism and optimizing the parameters of maglev vehicle–bridge coupled systems under general constrained boundaries.