The newly opened Christian Doppler Laboratory a TU Wien, supported by commercial partner Knorr-Bremse GmbH, is researching the braking technology of rail vehicles with a view to possible improvements: Existing systems are being investigated that either act directly on the interaction between vehicle wheels and rails to increase friction (such as sand systems, which scatter sand on the rails directly in front of the wheels when braking) or function completely independently of wheel-rail contact, i.e. even if wheels slip due to poor conditions (such as magnetic rail brakes, i.e. metal frames with electromagnets mounted in rail vehicle chassis that are pulled against the rail and drag against it when braking).
Finding out exactly how such braking systems can be optimised is a highly interdisciplinary matter: Mechanics (for describing movement and calculating friction forces), electrodynamics (for analysing the electromagnetic behaviour of magnetic rail brakes) and tribology (dealing with wear and tear of materials that rub against each other) intertwine in the CD Laboratory to carry out informative measurements and to work out mathematical models and complex computer simulations. The aim is to achieve good braking performance even and especially in difficult conditions, to minimise wear and protect the infrastructure through better braking systems, and to minimise the weight of said braking systems in order to save energy: All progress that will benefit commuters, the environment and Austria as a business location in equal measure!
Pictured from left to right: Stefan Jakubek, Head of the Institute of Mechanics and Mechatronics at TU Wien and CD Senate member, Christian Bauer, Dean of the Faculty of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at TU Wien, Head of Laboratory Johannes Edelmann, CDG Vice President and BMAW Head of Department Ulrike Unterer, Knorr-Bremse Austria Managing Director Jörg Branschädel, Daniel Tippelt, Knorr-Bremse Representative for the CD Laboratory, and Volker Jörgl, Business Unit Manager and Chief Product Owner at Knorr-Bremse.
Further information on the CD Laboratory
Press release (TU Wien)