
Abstract
This final-year project focuses on the study of the mechanical and thermal behavior
of a railway catenary system, with particular emphasis on the influence of mechanical
defects and their mechanical compensation. The catenary is a flexible, prestressed, and
quasi-periodic structure, mainly composed of the contact wire, the messenger wire,
and the droppers. Its interaction with the pantograph constitutes a complex dynamic
problem, particularly due to the movement of the pantograph, the propagation and
reflection of mechanical waves, and the nonlinear behavior of certain components.
The study begins with a static analysis, which makes it possible to determine the
equilibrium position of the catenary under the effects of gravity and mechanical ten-
sion. This is then complemented by a dynamic analysis, which is used to investigate the
response of the catenary during pantograph movement and to analyze the evolution of
the pantograph–catenary contact force.
Two modeling approaches are considered. The first is based on the SAM semi-
analytical model, using a modal representation based on the Rayleigh–Ritz method.
This approach reduces the number of degrees of freedom and efficiently represents the
vibrational and wave-propagation phenomena occurring in the catenary. The second
approach is based on a three-dimensional finite element model, providing a more flexible
representation of the actual catenary geometry, particularly the stagger of the contact
wire, the droppers, the registration arms, and the various boundary conditions.
Keywords : Catenary, pantograph, railway dynamics, SAM model, finite elements,
Rayleigh–Ritz method, mechanical defect, missing dropper, stagger, contact force, me-
chanical tension, mechanical compensation, heating.
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