A simplified approach to determine aerodynamic damping of railway overheads

The railway overhead (or catenary) is the system of cables responsible for providing electric current to the train. This system has been reported as wind-sensitive (Scanlon et al., 2000), and particularly to the occurrence of galloping phenomena. Galloping phenomena of the railway overhead consists of undamped cable oscillations triggered by aerodynamic forces acting on the contact wire. As is well known, aerodynamic loads on the contact wire depends on the incident flow mean velocity and the angle of attack. The presence of embankments or hills modifies both vertical velocities profiles and angles of attack of the flow (Paiva et al., 2009). The presence of these cross-wind related oscillations can interfere with the safe operation of the railway service (Johnson, 1996). Therefore a correct modelling of the phenomena is required to avoid these unwanted oscillations.

Cooperativa agrícola de pequeños productores en la reserva del Merendón, San Pedro Sula, Honduras

El siguiente trabajo consiste en formar y estructurar una cooperativa agrícola en una Zona de Reserva muy cercana a la segunda ciudad más grande de Honduras (San Pedro Sula). Debido a los precios tan bajos que reciben los agricultores por la venta de productos en la ciudad, todo ello provocado entre otros factores por la independencia entre productores y la poca fuerza que pueden ejercer en el mercado, se crea la necesidad de actuar en conjunto. Para ello se forma la cooperativa COME (Cooperativa del Merendón) solo a 30 km de San Pedro Sula. Para realizar el proyecto se hicieron grupos de trabajo entre agricultores, entrevistas, visitas a sus parcelas, visitas a otras cooperativas y reuniones en la municipalidad, compras en los mercados locales y entrevistas en cuatro supermercados de la ciudad. Se ha diseñado la estrategia de la cooperativa, incluida la marca y logotipo, la política de ventas y las necesidades de producción. El presupuesto es de cien mil euros y el volumen de negocio de algo más de 125.000 euros anuales. Además de conseguir trabajo para las 32 familias involucradas se generaría empleo para 18 personas.

Dynamic analysis using finite elements to calculate the critical wear section of the contact wire in suburban railway overhead conductor rails

The purpose of this study is to determine the critical wear levels of the contact wire of the catenary on metropolitan lines. The study has focussed on the zones of contact wire where localised wear is produced, normally associated with the appearance of electric arcs. To this end, a finite element model has been developed to study the dynamics of pantograph-catenary interaction. The model includes a zone of localised wear and a singularity in the contact wire in order to simulate the worst case scenario from the point of view of stresses. In order to consider the different stages in the wire wear process, different depths and widths of the localised wear zone were defined. The results of the dynamic simulations performed for each stage of wear let the area of the minimum resistant section of the contact wire be determined for which stresses are greater than the allowable stress. The maximum tensile stress reached in the contact wire shows a clear sensitivity to the size of the local wear zone, defined by its width and depth. In this way, if the wear measurements taken with an overhead line recording vehicle are analysed, it will be possible to calculate the potential breakage risk of the wire. A strong dependence of the tensile forces of the contact wire has also been observed. These results will allow priorities to be set for replacing the most critical sections of wire, thereby making maintenance much more efficient. The results obtained show that the wire replacement criteria currently borne in mind have turned out to be appropriate, although in some wear scenarios these criteria could be adjusted even more, and so prolong the life cycle of the contact wire.

Comparison of vibration and rolling noise emission of resilient and solid monobloc railway wheels in underground lines

Flat or worn wheels rolling on rough or corrugated tracks can provoke airborne noise and ground-borne vibration, which can be a serious concern for nearby neighbours of urban rail transit lines. Among the various treatments used to reduce vibration and noise, resilient wheels play an important role. In conventional resilient wheels, a slightly prestressed V­shaped rubber ring is mounted between the steel wheel centre and tyre. The elastic layer enhances rolling noise and vibration suppression, as well as impact reduction on the track. In this paper the effectiveness of resilient wheels in underground lines, in comparison to monobloc ones, is assessed. The analysed resilient wheel is able to carry greater loads than standard resilient wheels used for light vehicles. It also presents a greater radial resiliency and a higher axial stiffness than conventional V­wheels. The finite element method was used in this study. A quarter car model was defined, in which the wheelset was modelled as an elastic body. Several simulations were performed in order to assess the vibrational behaviour of elastic wheels, including modal, harmonic and random vibration analysis, the latter allowing the introduction of realistic vertical track irregularities, as well as the influence of the running speed. Due to numerical problems some simplifications were needed. Parametric variations were also performed, in which the sensitivity of the whole system to variations of rubber prestress and Poisson’s ratio of the elastic material was assessed.Results are presented in the frequency domain, showing a better performance of the resilient wheels for frequencies over 200 Hz. This result reveals the ability of the analyzed design to mitigate rolling noise, but not structural vibrations, which are primarily found in the lower frequency range.

Tiled Projector Displays Correction for Dark Scenes in Railway Simulators

Tiled projector displays are a common choice for training simulators, where a high resolution output image is required. They are cheap for the resolution that they can reach and can be configured in many different ways. Nevertheless, such kinds of displays require geometric and color correction so that the composite image looks seamless. Display correction is an even bigger challenge when the projected images include dark scenes combined with brighter scenes. This is usually a problem for railway simulators when the train is positioned inside a tunnel and the black offset effect becomes noticeable. In this paper, a method for fast photometric and geometric correction of tiled display systems where dark and bright scenes are combined is presented. The image correction is carried out in two steps. First, geometric alignment and overlapping areas attenuation for brighter scenes is applied. Second, in the event of being inside a tunnel, the brightness of the scene is increased in certain areas using light sources in order to create the impression of darkness but minimizing the effect of the black offset

Dynamic effect of high speed railway traffic loads on the ballast track settlement

The traditional ballast track structures are still being used in high speed railways lines with success, however technical problems or performance features have led to non-ballast track solution in some cases. A considerable maintenance work is needed for ballasted tracks due to the track deterioration. Therefore it is very important to understand the mechanism of track deterioration and to predict the track settlement or track irregularity growth rate in order to reduce track maintenance costs and enable new track structures to be designed. The objective of this work is to develop the most adequate and efficient models for calculation of dynamic traffic load effects on railways track infrastructure, and then evaluate the dynamic effect on the ballast track settlement, using a ballast track settlement prediction model, which consists of the vehicle/track dynamic model previously selected and a track settlement law. The calculations are based on dynamic finite element models with direct time integration, contact between wheel and rail and interaction with railway cars. A initial irregularity profile is used in the prediction model. The track settlement law is considered to be a function of number of loading cycles and the magnitude of the loading, which represents the long-term behavior of ballast settlement. The results obtained include the track irregularity growth and the contact force in the final interaction of numerical simulation

Dynamic Analysis of high Speed Railway Traffic Loads on Ballasted Track

This paper reports the studies carried out to develop and calibrate the optimal models for the objectives of this work. In particular, quarter bogie model for vehicle, rail-wheel contact with Lagrangian multiplier method, 2D spatial discretization were selected as the optimal decisions. Furthermore, the 3D model of coupled vehicle-track also has been developed to contrast the results obtained in the 2D model. The calculations were carried out in the time domain and envelopes of relevant results were obtained for several track profiles and speed ranges. Distributed elevation irregularities were generated based on power spectral density (PSD) distributions. The results obtained include the wheel-rail contact forces, forces transmitted to the bogie by primary suspension. The latter loads are relevant for the purpose of evaluating the performance of the infrastructure

Safety-related issues for high-speed railway bridges

Railway bridges have specific requirements related to safety, which often are critical aspects of design. In this paper the main phenomena are reviewed, namely vertical dynamic effects for impact effect of moving loads and resonance in high-speed, service limit states which affect the safety of running traffic, and lateral dynamic effects.

Estudio de Percepciones sobre Programas de Formación e Institucionalidad en Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutricional (SAN) en Honduras

El hambre es un problema que afecta en la actualidad a más de 1,000 millones de personas en el mundo, de los cuales 53 millones están en América Latina. Honduras no es ajena a ese problema, el 12% de su población no dispone de los alimentos suficientes para una vida saludable. En los últimos años, organizaciones de prestigio internacional han estudiado el problema y planteado diversas estrategias de solución; es vital el compromiso político de los estados y la participación de instituciones y personas con voluntad y capacidad de aplicar dichas estrategias en los territorios más desfavorecidos. Con el objetivo de conocer la situación en Honduras sobre programas de formación e institucionalidad en Seguridad Alimentaria Nutricional (SAN), se realizó un estudio de percepciones entre profesionales de distintos sectores y con vinculación comprobada con el tema. La educación superior en el país es considerada entre poco y nada pertinente con la SAN por la mayoría de los encuestados. Un alto porcentaje de ellos cree que se debe aumentar la oferta de formación en SAN y definen el nivel de pregrado como más importante. Existen diversas instancias de coordinación alrededor del tema y la mayoría visualiza diversos beneficios de las mismas, pero se necesita más coordinación para incidir a nivel de políticas públicas. La participación de las universidades en estos espacios es considerada poco relevante; sugiriendo que deberían jugar un rol más determinante, especialmente en la investigación y generación de información. Por la gravedad del problema y con el objetivo de una mayor sensibilización e integralidad de esfuerzos, además de la creación de programas específicos, se sugiere que la SAN sea abordada de manera transversal en el sistema educativo nacional

Formación Profesional Basada en Competencias como Estrategia de Apoyo Para la Reducción de la Inseguridad Alimentaria en Honduras

El hambre es un problema que afectaba en el 2011 a 923 millones de personas en el mundo, de las cuales, 52.5 millones estaban en América Latina. En marzo de 2011 el 10.4% de la población hondureña estaba en situación de inseguridad alimentaria; condición debida básicamente a las condiciones de pobreza y su poder adquisitivo limitado para cubrir la canasta básica de alimentos. La inseguridad alimentaria es un problema complejo y para contrarrestarlo es preciso contar con profesionales con amplio conocimiento y con la capacidad de diseñar políticas y ejecutar programas y/o proyectos que contribuyan a su solución. Con el objetivo de proponer un programa formativo que responda adecuadamente a la demanda de profesionales en Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutricional (SAN), se desarrolló una consulta con informantes claves vinculados a la ejecución de programas y proyectos y a Universidades en Honduras. Los resultados plantean que hay un limitado abordaje de la SAN en la educación superior; situación debida a diversos factores, donde destaca la escasa relación de las universidades con las organizaciones que ejecutan programas y proyectos y por lo tanto un desconocimiento de lo que dichas organizaciones están demandando. Los resultados de la consulta orientan a plantear un modelo de formación denominado Diplomado en Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutricional Basado en Competencias. Este diplomado debería ser el inicio de un proceso de formación que posteriormente evolucione a la implementación de un sistema de certificación de profesionales en seguridad alimentaria y nutricional.

La formación de recursos humanos como estrategia de apoyo a la Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutricional (SAN). El caso de la educación superior en Honduras

El presente estudio fue concebido con el objetivo de contribuir a una educación superior más pertinente en Honduras; especialmente con relación a la seguridad alimentaria y nutricional. En primer lugar, fue desarrollado un estudio de percepciones y una consulta con informantes claves, cuyo resultado fue que existe una desvinculación entre la oferta y demanda de formación en seguridad alimentaria. Basándose en ese resultado, se propone un programa formativo que responda adecuadamente a la demanda de profesionales existente en Honduras. Dicho programa consiste en un “Diplomado en Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutricional (SAN), basado en competencias”. Este diplomado debería ser el inicio de un proceso de formación que posteriormente evolucione a la implementación de un sistema de certificación de profesionales en seguridad alimentaria y nutricional. Abstract The present study was designed with the objective of contributing to higher education more pertinent in Honduras, especially in relation to food security and nutritional. It was made a perceptions study and consultations with key informants, the result was that there is a disconnection between offer and demand for food security training. Based on these results, we propose a training program that responds adequately to the demand for professionals in Honduras; we propose a “Competency-based training in Food Security and Nutritional”; this program should be the beginning of a process that progresses to the implementation of a certification system for food security professionals.

Advances in the analysis of short span railway bridges for high-speed lines

The physical model based on moving constant loads is widely used for the analysis of railway bridges. Nevertheless, the moving loads model is not well suited for the study of short bridges (L⩽20–25 m) since the results it produces (displacements and accelerations) are much greater than those obtained from more sophisticated ones. In this paper two factors are analysed which are believed to have an influence in the dynamic behaviour of short bridges. These two factors are not accounted for by the moving loads model and are the following: the distribution of the loads due to the presence of the sleepers and ballast layer, and the train–bridge interaction. In order to decide on their influence several numerical simulations have been performed. The results are presented and discussed herein.

Identification of pressures and maintenance in railway tunnels

This paper describes an interactive set of tools used to determine the safety of tunnels and to provide data for the decision making of its mainteinance. Although, no doubt, there are still several drawbacks in the difficult procedures in use it is clear that the way is promising and future improvements both in experimental and analytical methods will increase our understanding of this matter.

Climate Change Impacts on Maize and Dry Bean Yields of smallholder farmers in Honduras

The rotation maize and dry bean provides the main food supply of smallholder farmers in Honduras. Crop model assessment of climate change impacts (2070?2099 compared to a 1961?1990 baseline) on a maize?dry bean rotation for several sites across a range of climatic zones and elevations in Honduras. Low productivity systems, together with an uncertain future climate, pose a high level of risk for food security. The cropping systems simulation dynamic model CropSyst was calibrated and validated upon field trail site at Zamorano, then run with baseline and future climate scenarios based upon general circulation models (GCM) and the ClimGen synthetic daily weather generator. Results indicate large uncertainty in crop production from various GCM simulations and future emissions scenarios, but generally reduced yields at low elevations by 0 % to 22 % in suitable areas for crop production and increased yield at the cooler, on the hillsides, where farming needs to reduce soil erosion with conservation techniques. Further studies are needed to investigate strategies to reduce impacts and to explore adaptation tactics.

The Dynamics of High-Speed Railway Bridges: A Review of Design Issues and New Research for Lateral Dynamics

The dynamic effects of high-speed trains on viaducts are important issues for the design of the structures, as well as for the consideration of safe running conditions for the trains. In this work we start by reviewing the relevance of some basic design aspects. The significance of impact factor envelopes for moving loads is considered first. Resonance which may be achieved for high-speed trains requires dynamic analysis, for which some key aspects are discussed. The relevance of performing a longitudinal distribution of axle loads, the number of modes taken in analysis, and the consideration of vehicle-structure interaction are discussed with representative examples. The lateral dynamic effects of running trains on bridges is of importance for laterally compliant viaducts, such as some very tall structures erected in new high-speed lines. The relevance of this study is mainly for the safety of the traffic, considering both internal actions such as the hunting motion as well as external actions such as wind or earthquakes [1]. These studies require three-dimensional dynamic coupled vehicle-bridge models, and consideration of wheel to rail contact, a phenomenon which is complex and costly to model in detail. We describe here a fully nonlinear coupled model, described in absolute coordinates and incorporated into a commercial finite element framework [2]. The wheel-rail contact has been considered using a FastSim algorithm which provides a compromise between accuracy and computational cost, and captures the main nonlinear response of the contact interface. Two applications are presented, firstly to a vehicle subject to a strong wind gust traversing a bridge, showing the relevance of the nonlinear wheel-rail contact model as well as the dynamic interaction between bridge and vehicle. The second application is to a real HS viaduct with a long continuous deck and tall piers and high lateral compliance [3]. The results show the safety of the traffic as well as the importance of considering features such as track alignment irregularities.