Modelling and simulation of a hydraulic damper in railway vehicles considering nonlinear dynamic characteristics of the rubber joint

Hydraulic dampers in railway vehicle suspensions are equipped with rubber joints at both ends to attenuate high-frequency vibrations and ensure smooth operation. Although rubber joints exhibit nonlinear dynamic characteristics with respect to excitation frequency and amplitude, these effects have received little attention in hydraulic damper modelling. To improve the modelling accuracy and investigate the effects of the rubber joint, this study proposes a physical parameter model for the hydraulic damper, incorporating a nonlinear rubber joint model capable of capturing the frequency and amplitude dependence. For the model validation, the simulated results are compared with the experimental data of a rubber joint and a yaw damper under various excitation conditions. Subsequently, the proposed damper model is used for simulation analysis to highlight the importance of nonlinear rubber joint modelling, as well as to investigate the dynamic behaviour of the rubber joint and its effects on the damper performance. The obtained results confirm the accuracy of the established model and provide valuable insights for the design and optimisation of both the rubber joint and the hydraulic damper.