Dynamic analyses of a flexible vehicle moving along a flexible guideway considering the tip-off effect

A semi-analytical solution for the tip-off response of a vehicle moving along a guideway is obtained, considering the dynamic interaction between the two subsystems. The guideway is modeled as an inclined simply-supported uniform flexible beam, and the vehicle as a flexible free-free beam under a pre-specified thrust force. The equations of motion for the vehicle and guideway are developed using the Lagrangian approach and the assumed mode method based on the Euler-Bernoulli hypothesis. In the form of nonlinear differential equations, they are solved by the Petzold-Gear backward differentiation formula (BDF) method. The solutions obtained are validated by comparing them with the published results for the models with a rigid vehicle running over a rigid guideway or a flexible guideway. Comparisons of the present solutions with the existing ones for the vehicle and guideway reveal the advantages of the approach proposed herein. Other effects on the tip-off responses of the vehicle that are investigated include the length of the guideway, distance between the shoes of the vehicle, and mass and rigidity ratios of the vehicle to the guideway. The results presented herein provide valuable information for the design of the vehicle launch system.