Simulation of narrow gauge railway vehicles and experimental validation by mean of scaled tests on roller rig

The dynamic design of railway vehicles is often supported by numerical simulation performed by means of Multibody codes. Such methodology allows to define vehicle suspensions characteristics so as to meet running safety requirements and, in the case of passenger vehicles, to achieve an adequate comfort level. However, the effectiveness of the numerical model in the prediction of actual vehicle behavior may fall short of requirements if the model is not sufficiently accurate. Experimental validation can help to ensure reliability of the numerical models. In order to solve the problem, this work proposes to use experimental tests on scaled prototypes on roller-rig for preliminary validation of the numerical model.