Switches & Crossings Benchmark Workshop
Huddersfield, 28-29 April 2020


Dr Yann Bezin from The University of Huddersfield (UK) and Dr Björn Pålsson from Chalmers University of Technology (Sweden) organised a two day workshop to review and discuss the results from the benchmark they initiated at the 2019 IAVSD International Symposium on Dynamics of Vehicles on Roads and Tracks, in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Benchmark workshop

The benchmark focuses on comparison of dynamic vehicle-track interaction results in switches and crossings using multibody system approach.

The main purpose of the benchmark is to compare the current software solutions available for such exercise, share and promote a better understanding of the state-of-the-art, and promote ideas and stimulation for developing software capabilities in this field.

The workshop originally planned over two days was replaced by two 3-hours online sessions over the two days (due to COVID-19 situation), and was well attended with over 35 participants each day. Nineteen sets of results have been received so far from eighteen independent participants, including nine independent software. The exercise has been more widely followed by thirty eight contacted organisations from academia (23), industry (8) and software developers (7), making this benchmark very well followed by the entire community and practicing users.

The workshop resulted in the elaboration of a work plan supporting a Special Issue of Vehicle System Dynamics Journal that will include a section with the results and their discussion as well as presenting the information from each participant methods statements. Additionally, a collection of fifteen papers, at present, have been proposed that will make part of this special issue, extending the value of the benchmark by exploring further a wide range of aspects such as vehicle suspension effects, track modelling approaches and variability from the systems parameters.

GB switch and crossing geometries
GB switch and crossing geometries

Back to Archived Events