Abstract: Train wheel vibration is an important noise source of railway vehicle. A hybrid FEM-BEM vibro-acoustic model is used to investigate the effect of train speed variation on the acoustic radiation characteristics of wheel vibration. In the model the vertical interaction of wheel and rail and the filter action of wheel/rail contact patch are taken into account. Based on the actual wheel size, a three-dimensional finite element model of the wheel is built. The “Block Landzos” method is used to solve the nature frequency and vibration mode of the wheel. The mode superposition method is employed to calculate the dynamical response of a single wheel structure to the vertical excitation of the running surface roughness. Finally the wheel surface speed is processed as the input condition of acoustic boundary element model, so as to calculate the rolling radiation noise of the wheel. The numerical calculation determines the extent to which the wheel tread, web, and rim contribute to the allover noise generated by the wheel and the effect of different train speed on the acoustic radiation characteristics of wheel vibration. The numerical simulation calculation provides certain reference for taking measures to reduce wheel/rail noise of high-speed train.

Key words: Boundary element method, Finite element method, Railway wheel, Train speed, Wheel/rail noise