In order to study the vertical coupling vibration of low–medium-speed Maglev train and at-ground structure system, the vertical coupling vibration model of low–medium-speed Maglev train-bridge system is established firstly based on the co-simulation of SIMPACK and ANSYS. The method of co-simulation is verified through the test experiments on a 20-m simply supported beam dynamic load experiment test line. Later, the vertical coupling vibration dynamics simulation model of low–medium-speed Maglev train and at-ground structure system is built and the dynamic simulation analysis is performed. According to the analysis, the vibration frequency of the at-ground structure is relatively high and the first vertical vibration frequency is 32.9 Hz; the vertical displacement and acceleration of the frame’s center of the at-ground structure are bigger than the bottom’s center; the vibration of the frame is the high-frequency vibration (comparing with the bottom), and the acceleration of the frame’s center is obviously greater than the bottom’s between 50 and 100 Hz.

A train–bridge coupling vibration model for low-speed maglev traffic was established to study the dynamic response of low-medium speed Maglev Train and simply supported beam interation system. In this model, the vehicle is assumed as a secondary suspension mass-spring-damper model with 12 degrees of freedom. The finite element model is supplied to simulate the bridge structure. The influence of the track irregularity is also taken into account. Then, the program for vertical coupling vibration simulation of low-speed maglev traffic is developed. Finally, a field test was carried out on a 25-m simply supported beam in a low-speed maglev test line. The results show that the fundamental frequency, the vibration mode, the mid-span dynamic deflection and the acceleration of the track beam measured values are slightly smaller than the simulation results. When the maglev train passes the simply supported beam, the measured acceleration values of the vehicle are slightly less than the simulation ones. These research results show that the vertical coupling vibration model of low-speed maglev train–track beam is reasonable and the simulation results are credible. With the increase of  speed, the accelerations of the bridge and car body are increased  in the overall trend. But, the acclerations of the bridge and the maglev car body are both small versus the speed, wich indicates that the dynamic performanceof the bridge and maglev train are good.

In view of the fact that exhibits monorail transportation in recent years, the good situation and the lack of straddle-type monorail vehicle vertical dynamics research, the key problems of vertical vibration were studied in this paper: The vertical coupling is between walking tires and finger-band. A dynamic model based on the vertical equivalent stiffness of tire is proposed, the force mode of the tire is determined through the comparison calculation and the dynamics model between walking tires and finger band was established on ADAMS Dynamics Software. By dynamic calculation, the vibration of four running wheels in time and frequency domains is obtained, and the vibration of the front axle of the front bogie is studied in detail; the correctness of the model is confirmed by comparing with the real vehicle test. Finally, the limitations of this paper and the direction of follow-up work are discussed.

At present, the coupling relationship between the pantograph and catenary is not ideal for straddle-type monorail. The power collection quality is poor, and the wear of the contact strip of a pantograph is uneven. Therefore, the key problem of coupling relation between the pantograph and catenary is the dynamics of a pantograph–catenary system. This paper analyzed the modal of catenary through simulation with finite element model and the vibration modal of pantograph multi-rigid-body dynamic model by simulation in multi-body danamics software ADAMS. A rigid-flexible coupling dynamic model of pantograph–catenary system is established. Finally, extensive research has been made on the influence of pantograph head parameters on the power collection quality.

In this study, a new type of single-axle bogie of straddle-type monorail vehicle is designed. The tumbler structures are adopted in the vertical suspension system. One end of the tumbler is fixed to the framework, while the other end supports the framework via air springs. In addition, the lateral suspension utilizes the suspender way, with longitudinal force transmitted via single pull rods. Guide wheels and steady wheels are connected to the end support arms of the framework through spindles around the horizontal direction. Rubber springs, the pre-compressed magnitudes of which could be adjusted, are set between the spindles and support arms. The multi-body dynamics software UM is adopted to construct a dynamic model and simulate related dynamic performance. The results of the simulation indicate that this new kind of bogie has a favorable performance when passing through curves and has a greater riding stability. The flexibility factor equation of this new monorail vehicle is deduced, with its flexibility factor obtained.

An experimental study is proposed in this paper to investigate about the durability of monorail track beam after acid rain corrosion in a monorail transportation system. Firstly, a 20-m full-scale beam was built to analyze the causes of corrosion of a monorail track beam, and the corrosion pool was used to make a catalyzed corrosion test on the beam. Then the strand steels were contrasted after 3000-h of accelerated corrosion test. Next, experimental study was performed and the characteristics of strand corrosion in the monorail track beam with corrosion is discussed based on experimental observations. The results show that after the acid rain corrosion, the cross-sectional area of the prestressed steel strand was reduced, although the degree of corrosion was not serious compared with the plain bars, it was more dangerous because of high stress, so further research is necessary to clarify the effects of acid rain corrosion on the durability of the track beam.

An analytical procedure of dynamic interaction analysis of the straddle monorail bridge–vehicle coupling system is proposed in this paper based on the finite element method and energy method. The calculation procedure is programmed with VB language for the solution of the governing motion equations of the straddle-type monorail bridge–vehicle coupling system. The effects of speed, three kinds of loads and different radius of curvature on dynamic responses of the monorail bridge–vehicle coupling system are analyzed. The simulation indicates that vertical vibration amplitude of the track beam decreases while the lateral amplitude increases with the increase in the radius of the curvature; the maximum value in lateral and vertical direction is 0.075 and 0.43 mm, respectively; and the maximum amplitude (lateral and vertical) and acceleration (lateral and vertical) are 0.69, 0.046 mm, 0.15 and 0.62 m/s², respectively, at the speed of 80 km/h. The vibration amplitude (lateral and vertical) and vertical acceleration increase with the increasing load, and the maximum values are 0.041, 0.43 mm and 0.44 m/s², respectively. The lateral acceleration is not easily affected by the load conditions.