The topic of Virtual Coupling (VC) in railway train systems has seen tremendous interest and development in recent years. The use of VC promises to significantly increase the efficiency, capacity, and safety of railway systems. Despite the considerable advancements in this area, most research to date has focused on the application of control theories that rely on simplified models, which may not adequately represent the complex real-world dynamics of train systems. This is where the research of Vehicle System Dynamics can contribute.
This special issue invites contributions that combine the concepts, methods, and techniques of Vehicle System Dynamics with VC, leading to a more realistic understanding and implementation of this innovative approach to railway operation. The guest editors aim to foster a comprehensive discussion on developing and validating models that accurately represent the actual control and dynamics of train systems.
Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
- Detailed dynamics of virtually coupled trainsets.
- VC controllers considering nonlinearities.
- Real-world validation of VC models.
- Innovative control strategies that consider detailed train dynamics.
- Practical applications and case studies of VC considering Vehicle System Dynamics.
- Experiments and tests of Vehicle System Dynamics for the purpose of VC
- Experiments and tests of VC systems
