High–speed train crash safety assessment for Train–moose collisions

The increasing number of train–moose collision accidents threatens train running safety. This study investigated the bullet train–moose collision process and explored the effect of parameters on the dynamic responses. The multibody (MB) model was developed and validated against real–world collisions and the validated finite element model. A parametric study including the moose size, train speed, moose velocity, moose offset, and impact angle was conducted using MADYMO software. The lateral and longitudinal displacements of the moose’s center of gravity (CG) were used to evaluate the crash safety. The results showed that the moose size significantly affects moose impact dynamics and kinematics. The velocity and the offset of the moose were positively correlated with the lateral displacement. However, there was an obvious nonlinear relationship between the train speed and the lateral displacement. With the increase in the collision speed, the front–end deformation weakens the obstacle removal effect of the front hatch. The landing spots of the small–sized moose were the most concentrated, which means greater risk of secondary collisions. This study provides practical help for improving the running safety of high–speed trains and protecting wild animals along railways.