Optimization Analysis of Height and Distance of Shelter Wind Wall for High-Speed Railway

Based on the Navier-Storkes equations of viscous compressible fluid and the k- two-equation turbulent model, side forces and rolling moments acting on a train were calculated by means of the finite volume method. The effects of shelter wind wall on transverse aerodynamic forces acting on trains were investigated numerically, and the optimal height and distance of shelter wind wall were obtained, including 275 cases of straight railway and curved railway with different radii under different wall heights and wall distances. The research results show that the optimal height and distance of shelter wind walls on a straight railway line are about 1.90 and 3.90 m respectively when train speed is 200 to 400 km/h and transverse wind speed 20 to 40 m/s. When a train runs on a curved railway line with a radius of 1 000 to 7 000 m, the optimal height decreases linearly with the increase of the radius, while the optimal distance is about 4.50 m with little relation to the radius. Wind speed and train speed have a few effects on the optimal wall height and distance. If wall height is too low or wall distance is too small, the direction of side forces and rolling moments acting on the head and rear cars are different.