Accuracy of the experimental assessment of running dynamics characteristics quantified through an uncertainty framework

The European FP7 project DynoTRAIN was set up in order to close important open points in the technical specifications for interoperability of the trans-European rail system and to contribute to European standards. This contribution targeted the reduction of cost of the process for the assessment of running dynamics characteristics that is required when seeking authorisation to place rolling stock in service according to the EU procedure. The project was divided into seven work packages. Work Package 7 was devoted to the issue of ‘regulatory acceptance’: the results had to be discussed with and presented to regulatory authorities in a way as to be acceptable for use by such authorities. An important part of this work addressed accuracy (and its quantitative counterpart, uncertainty) of the assessment process, which was widely recognised at the beginning of the project as a key issue that needed to be tackled to increase confidence in both experimental and virtual assessment processes. In this paper, the uncertainty framework that was developed in WP7 and its relationship with the work of other DynoTRAIN Work Packages is presented. An application of the concepts of the framework is given in the form of quantitative results regarding the accuracy of the current EN 14363 experimental assessment process for running dynamics characteristics.