Performance Tests of a High Capacity Buffer Coupling System using a Hydraulic Device

Coupling systems under train's collision should take the impact by absorbing the impact energy caused from the collision, so the systems are very important parts for the safety of the trains. However, it is not easy to evaluate the performance of the system because it requires a huge testing facility, which is able to control the impact and to handle many safety issues. In this paper, test results are provided, which are obtained from collision tests of a single train having a coupling system in the front, and the results are analyzed in order to understand the characteristics and the dynamic behaviors of energy absorbing materials in the coupling system, such as a hydraulic buffer, and two rubber buffers. The results show that the force of each component could be empirically described by the compression displacement and velocity. The analyzed results will be applied to simulation models, and advanced studies wouuld be available if the simulation models are well validated with the test results.