Wind tunnel test of an aeroelastic model of a catenary system for a high-speed railway in China

Wind tunnel tests of an aeroelastic model with five masts and four spans were carried out with the design requirements of a catenary system and similarity theory to research wind characteristics. Four different forces were imposed on the contact wire and messenger wire. Turbulent and uniform flow conditions were considered in the tests. The acceleration, displacement of the hanging point and displacement of the contact wire were measured using sensors. The results are as follows: The frequency of the contact wire increases and the deflection decreases as the tension in the wire increases. The frequency of the hanging point is nearly unaffected by tension. The displacement of the hanging point can be ignored while the acceleration is influenced by tension in turbulent flow. Wind-induced responses in the turbulent flow are more intense than those in the uniform flow. The displacements in both flows in the wind and crosswind direction are large enough to receive considerable attention and should be controlled to avoid accidents in strong wind. The experiment results show the dynamic behavior of the catenary system under wind and provide a reference for the design of catenary systems.