Proceedings of the 17th World Congress

The International Federation of Automatic Control

Seoul, Korea, July 6-11, 2008

Condition Monitoring and Fault Detection

of Railway Vehicle Suspension using
Multiple-Model Approach ?
Hitoshi Tsunashima Yusuke Hayashi Hirotaka Mori
Yoshitaka Marumo

Nihon University, 1-2-1 Izumi-cho, Narashino-shi, Chiba 275-8575,

Japan (Tel: +81-47-474-2339; e-mail: tsuna@cit.nihon-u.ac.jp).

Graguate School of Nihon University, 1-2-1 Izumi-cho,

Narashino-shi, Chiba 275-8575, Japan (Tel: +81-47-474-2339).

Graguate School of Nihon University, 1-2-1 Izumi-cho,

Narashino-shi, Chiba 275-8575, Japan (Tel: +81-47-474-2339).

Nihon University, 1-2-1 Izumi-cho, Narashino-shi, Chiba

275-8575, Japan (Tel: +81-47-474-2339; e-mail:
ymaru@cit.nihon-u.ac.jp).

Abstract: This paper demonstrates the possibility to detect suspension failures of railway
vehicles using a multiple-model approach from on-board measurement data. The railway vehicle
model used includes the lateral and yaw motions of the wheelsets and bogie, and the lateral
motion of the vehicle body, with sensors measuring the lateral acceleration and yaw rate of the
bogie, and lateral acceleration of the body. The detection algorithm is formulated based on the
Interacting Multiple-Model (IMM) algorithm. The IMM method has been applied for detecting
faults in vehicle suspension systems in a simulation study. The mode probabilities and states
of vehicle suspension systems are estimated based on a Kalman Filter (KF). This algorithm
is evaluated in simulation examples. Simulation results indicate that the algorithm effectively
detects on-board faults of railway vehicle suspension systems.
1. INTRODUCTION
Railway maintenance is important for ensuring safety
and avoiding accidents. An inspection to detect faults in
railway vehicles is especially important. Some faults could
cause serious accidents while the vehicle is travelling.
Condition monitoring is necessary in order to immediately
detect vehicle faults. For condition monitoring, it is necessary to detect the fault from the signals of sensors attached
to the vehicles. Condition monitoring can be considered to
be a part of the well-established and well-developed area
of Fault Detection and Isolation (or Identification) (FDI).
Many research works on FDI are summarized in numerous publications, Patton et al. [2000], Gustafsson. [2001].
Condition monitoring is mainly applicable to systems that
deteriorate with time and seeks to detect and identify deterioration before it causes a failure. This is a key element
of condition-based maintenance, Buruni et al. [2007].
Often, only output signals can be measured, in which
case signal-based methods can be applied. A measured
signal, essentially the response to a disturbance input(s), is
analyzed in the time domain, frequency domain, or timefrequency domain. Band-pass filters, spectral analysis,
maximum-entropy estimation, and wavelet analysis can
all be used as signal-processing methods. If the relation
? This study was supported by the Program for Promoting Fundamental Transport Technology Research from the Japan Railway
Construction, Transport and Technology Agency (JRTT).

978-1-1234-7890-2/08/$20.00 2008 IFAC

between the input signal and the output signal is known,

abrupt faults can be detected using the model-based fault
detection method, which can be defined as detection and
decision-making based on the evaluation of residuals.
A recent project has recognized the value of model-based
processing, examining both residual-based (i.e. using the
estimation errors) and direct parameter estimation for
identifying degradation in lateral dampers, yaw dampers
and the wheel profile, the three aspects industry has
identified as the most common causes of maintenance
activity. The parameter estimation technique in particular
has been investigated using data collected from a set of
inertial sensors fitted to a service vehicle, and it has been
possible to obtain good, representative values for both
lateral and secondary anti-yaw dampers, Li et al. [2007].
This study demonstrates the possibility to detect railway
vehicle suspension failures using the multiple-model approach. The railway vehicle model used includes the lateral
and yaw motions of the wheelsets and bogie, and the
lateral motion of the vehicle body, with sensors measuring
lateral acceleration and yaw rate of the bogie, and lateral
acceleration of the body. The IMM method, Bar-Shalom
et al. [1993], Bar-Shalom et al. [2001], has been applied for
detecting vehicle suspension faults in a simulation study.
2. VEHICLE MODEL
Figure 1 depicts the railway vehicle model Li et al. [2004].
Lateral and yaw motion of wheelsets and bogie are consid-

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17th IFAC World Congress (IFAC'08)

Seoul, Korea, July 6-11, 2008

ered. Lateral motion is considered for a vehicle body. The

equations of motion for a vehicle traveling on a straight
track can be written as follows:
2f22
y w1 + Ky yw1 =
mw1 yw1 +
(1)
v
2f22 w1 + Ky yb + a0 Ky b
2f11 l02
Iw1 w1 +
w1 + K w1 =
v
2f11 l0
2f11 l0

yw1 + K b +
yt1
r0
r0
2f22
mw1 yw2 +
y w2 + Ky yw2 =
v
2f22 w2 + Ky yb + a0 Ky b

(2)

(3)

2f11 l02
w2 + K w2 =
v
2f11 l0
2f11 l0

yw2 + K b +
yt2
r0
r0
mb yb + (Cylb + Cyrb )y b
+{2Ky + (Kylb + Kyrb )}yb = Ky yw1 + Ky yw2
+(Cylb + Cyrb )y bd + (Kylb + Kyrb )ybd
Iw2 w2 +

(5)

& w1

yw1

Figure 2 illustrates the basic concept of the multiple-model

approach.

(7)

yb
& w 2

yw 2

yt
ut

Model 2
based filter

yt
ut

Model i
based filter

xt1

xt2

xt

xti

When the system mode (model) switches in time, it is

necessary to formulate the multiple-model approach dynamically. In the dynamic formulation, the mode-jump
process, which is considered the mode-transition probability, should be taken into account.

Bogie frame

K yrb

Model 1
based filter

Fig. 2. Concept of multiple-model approach

Wheelset

C yrb

yt
ut

ybd

& b

(9)

j=1

K yrb

Ky / 2
K

m
X

p(xt Y t ) =
p(xt mj , Y t )p(mj Y t )

Fusion

C rb C yrb

Assuming a Gaussian distribution, the likelihood function

can be evaluated by residual and covariance from modematched filter j. An overall estimate can be obtained by
using the mode-conditioned state estimate obtained from
each filter and mode probability as

(6)

mbd ybd +(Cylb + Cyrb )y bd + (Kylb + Kyrb )y bd =

(Cylb + Cyrb )y b + (Kylb + Kyrb )yb
Vehicle body

Here, p(yt mj , Y t1 ) is the likelihood function of model j

at time t.

(4)

Ib b +(Clb + Crb ) b + {2a20 Ky + 2K }b

= a0 Ky yw1 + K w1 a0 Ky yw2 + K w2

Anti-yaw damper

the model j is correct, can be calculated by the following

equation.

t
p(yt mj , Y t1 )p(mj Y t1 )

p(mj Y ) = P
(8)
p(yt |mj , Y t1 )p(mj |Y t1 )

C rb

Fig. 1. Railway vehicle model

Here, yw1 and yw2 are the lateral displacements of the
leading and trailing wheelsets, yb is the lateral displacement of the bogie, ybd is the lateral displacement of the
vehicle body, w1 is the yaw angle of leading wheelsets,
w2 is the yaw angle of the trailing wheelsets, and b is
the yaw angle of the bogie. yt1 represents the lateral track
displacement at the leading wheels, and yt2 represents the
lateral track displacement at the trailing wheels.

The possible model history through time t is denoted by

the mode history, M t = {M1 , M2 , , Mmt }.
The mode probability based on the mode history is

p(yt M t , Y t1 )p(mt M t1 , Y t1 )
t t
p(M Y ) = P
t
t1 )p(M t , Y t1 )
(10)
p(yt |M
,Y
t1 t1
p(M
Y
)
The overall estimate is obtained by the mode-conditioned
estimate and the mode probability as

3. MULTIPLE-MODEL APPROACH

The multiple-model approach is an adaptive-estimation

technique proposed in the field of target tracking. This
approach enables a wide variety of adaptive estimation to
be used while changing both parameters and the model
structure.
In the multiple-model approach, it is assumed that the
system obeys one of a finite number of models M
{mj }j=1,,m that include possible modes. Using Bayes
formula, the mode probability, a posteriori probability that

m
X

p(xt Y t ) =
p(xt M t , Y t )p(M t Y t )

(11)

j=1

The number of the mode history M t increases exponentially with time, which is a fatal problem for implementation. In order to avoid the exponentially increasing number of mode history, generalized pseudo-Bayesian of first
order(GPB1) and second order(GPB2) and Interacting
Multiple-Model(IMM) algorithm, Blom et al. [1988], Li
et al. [1993], are proposed.

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4. FAULT DETECTION OF VEHICLE SUSPENSION

USING IMM ESTIMATOR

0j
P(t1)
=

m
X

i
i|j( t1) P(t1)

i=1

Figure 3 illustrates the concept of fault detection of vehicle

components using the multiple-model approach.

x
i(t1)

x
0j
(t1)

ih

x
i(t1)

x
0j
(t1)

iT

(13)

Here, i|j (t) is the mixed probability at time t, and is

expressed by

Disturbance

d (t )

i|j (t1) =

y (t )

u (t )

1
pij i (t1)
cj

i, j = 1, ..., m

(14)

where
Mode 1
Spring failure model
based estimator

Mode
Probability

cj =

Fault

pij i (t1)

j = 1, ..., m

(15)

i=1

Mode 2
Damper failure model
based estimator

4.2 Mode-Matched Filtering

Fig. 3. Multiple-model approach for vehicle suspension

fault detection
Figure 4 depicts the algorithm of the IMM estimator.
Estimations were conducted using the Kalman filter (KF)
described below.
u( t )

m
X

In this study, the KF was designed based on the reducedorder linear model, where the motions of wheelsets are
excluded.
The discrete system is expressed by
x(t+1) = F x(t) + Gu(t) + w(t)

(16)

y(t) = Hx(t) + Lu(t) + v(t)

(17)

y( t )

Vehicle

where
Mixing

01

01

x ( t ) , P( t )

x( t 1) , P( t 1)
Model 1 based KF

p
02
02
x( t 1) , P( t 1)

x ( t ) , P( t )

x ( t )

Model 2 based KF

0m
0m
x( t 1) , P( t 1)

x ( t ) , P( t )

The following KF algorithms are then obtained.

Model m based KF

T
x(t) = y b yb b b y bd ybd , u(t) = u01 u02 ,

T
T
w(t) = [ w1 w2 w3 w4 w5 w6 ] , y(t) = yb b ybd ,
T
v(t) = [ v1 v2 v3 ]

Fusion

Filter equations

Mode Probability
Fusion

Fig. 4. IMM estimator

m sets of models were considered as the system modes.
The (i, j) element of the mode transition matrix pij representing mode transition probabilities among the modes
expresses the transition probability from Mode i to Mode
j.
The following sections describe the details of the IMM
estimator for railway vehicle suspension systems.

j
x
j(t|t1) = F j (
x0j
(t1|t1) ) + D u(t1)

(18)

x
j(t|t) = x
j(t|t1)
h

i
j
+K(t)
y(t) H j (
xj(t|t1) ) + Lj u(t)

(19)

Kalman gain
T

j
j
j
j
S(t)
H(t1)
= P(t|t1)
K(t)

j
j
j
j
j
H(t1)
+ R(t1)
P(t|t1)
= H(t1)
S(t)

j
0j
j
j
F(t1)
P(t|t1)
= F(t1)
P(t|t1)

+Gj(t1) Qj(t1) Gj(t1)

Expressing the estimated value obtained by the KF for

Mode i(i = 1, , m) as x
i(t) and that obtained at time

j
j
j
j
j
K(t)
S(t)
K(t)
= P(t|t1)
P(t|t)

i
t(t = 0, 1, 2, ) as P(t)
, the mixed estimated value x
0j
(t)

i=1

(21)

Covariance equations

4.1 Mixing

0j
and the mixed estimated covariance matrix as P(t)
can be
expressed by the following equations.
m
X
=
(12)
x
0j
x
i(t1) i|j (t1) j = 1, ..., m
(t1)

(20)

(22)
(23)

Here, x
j(t) is the estimated state obtained by using the
KF. The system noise w(t) and measurement noise v(t)
are assumed to be white Gaussian with a zero mean and
covariance of Q(w(t) ) and R(v(t) ).

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4.3 Calculation of Mode Probability

The likelihood function for the each mode is expressed as

1
1

j 2
j 1
j (t) = 2S(t)
exp[ e(t) T S(t) e(t) ]
(24)
2
e(t) = y(t) (H j x
j(t|t1) + Lj u(t) )
Therefore, the mode probability for Mode j at time t is
given by
j (t) cj
j (t) = Pm
(25)
i
i=1 i (t) c
The mode probabilities obtained vary with time and are
smoothed by using a moving-average window.
4.4 Estimate and Covariance Combination
The estimated state x
(t) and combination of covariance
P(t) are finally obtained by weighting the estimated state
j
x
j(t) and the mixed covariance P(t)
for each mode with the
mode probabilities.
m
X
x
j(t) j (t)
(26)
x
(t) =
j=1

P(t) =

m
X

j
j (t) P(t)
+ [
xj(t) x
(t) ] [
xj(t) x
(t) ]T

Fig. 6. Measurement noise

Mode 2 A secondary lateral spring failure (100% reduction
in spring rate)
Mode 3 A secondary lateral damper failure (20% reduction)
Mode 4 A secondary lateral damper failure (40% reduction)
Mode 5 A secondary lateral damper failure (60% reduction)
Mode 6 Failure of lateral accelerometer of bogie.
Mode 7 Failure of yaw rate sensor of bogie.
Mode 8 Failure of lateral accelerometer of body.

i
(27)

j=1

5. SIMULATION EXAMPLE
5.1 Simulation Condition
We verified the validity of the proposed method for two
cases: (1) a secondary lateral damper failure (the damping
coefficient reduced from its nominal value) occurs while the
train is running; (2) a lateral accelerometer failure occurs
when the train is running. In this simulation, the vehicle
response is generated when passing along a track with an
irregularity. We created a track irregularity by using white
Gaussian noise passed through a shaping filter.
In case 1, the damping coefficient changes as shown in Fig.
5.

In Modes 6, 7 and 8, we provide a different covariance

model of the measurement noise.
First, we assumed that the bogie lateral damper and
lateral accelerometer were normal. In case 1, the estimated
value of the damping coefficient at time t, was obtained by
j
equation (28) by weighting the damping coefficient Cylb
for
each mode with the mode probabilities.
m
X
j
Cylb
j t
(28)
Cylb(t) =
j=1

5.2 Simulation Result

Detection of a Secondary Lateral Damper Failure
Figures 7,8 and 9 present the measurement data of this
case used for the suspension fault detection.

Fig. 5. Normalized damping coefficient

Fig. 7. Lateral acceleration of bogie

In case 2, we modeled a sensor failure for increasing

covariance of the measurement noise. Figure 6 depicts the
measurement noise used in the simulation.

Figures 10 and 11 depict the calculation results of mode

probabilities; the modes where the probability was almost
zero are excluded.

IMM estimator is designed based on following models.

Mode 1 No malfunction in vehicle

It is difficult to directly detect a lateral damper failure

from these measurement data. However, mode probabilities indicate that a lateral damper failure can be detected

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17th IFAC World Congress (IFAC'08)

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Mode 1 to Mode 1) of the transition matrix is much higher

than that of other modes.
The estimation delay can be improved by changing the
transition matrix, but there is a trade-off between delay
and estimation accuracy.
Figure 12 presents the estimated value of the lateral
damper coefficient. It can be seen that the proposed
method exhibited good estimation performance. In addition, we estimated the parameter using EKF for comparison.

Fig. 8. Lateral acceleration of body

Fig. 12. Estimation of damping coefficient

Fig. 9. Yaw rate of bogie

EKF is the most widely applied state-estimation algorithm

for nonlinear systems. EKF can be used to estimate
unknown parameters in dynamic systems. When using
EKF for parameter estimation, it should be noted that
selecting the state vector and initial values of parameters
is important as partial linearization is employed and that
the convergence of estimated parameters is not always
guaranteed, Ljung. [1979]. It should be noted that the
estimation using EKF failed in this simulation example.
Detecting a Lateral Accelerometer Failure
Figure 13 illustrates the lateral acceleration of bogie data
of this case used for the sensor fault detection as an
example. Figures 14 and 15 present the calculation results
of mode probabilities; modes where the probability was
almost zero are excluded.

Fig. 10. Mode probabilities for modes 1 and 2

Fig. 11. Mode probabilities for modes 3, 4 and 5

in 3s with an estimation delay of 1s. This can be supported
by the fact that Modes 3, 4 and 5 (lateral damper failure
mode) exhibited higher mode probabilities after 3s, and
Mode 1 (no malfunction mode) indicated a lower mode
probability after 3s.
It should be noted that the type of failure (lateral spring
failure or lateral damper failure) can be detected because
Mode 2 (lateral spring failure) exhibited lower mode probabilities.
The reason for the delay in mode probabilities is that the
weight of the p11 element (transition probabilities from

Fig. 13. Lateral acceleration of bogie data for case 2

We can see that mode probabilities indicate a lateral
acceleration sensor failure after 2s.
6. CONCLUSIONS
We studied methods of detecting malfunctions in vehicle
suspension systems using on-board measurement data. We
adapted the IMM method, which is a multiple-model based
estimation method, for detecting faults in railway vehicles.

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Y. Bar-Shalom, X. R. Li and T. Kirubarajan. Estimation

with Application to Tracking and Navigation. Wiley.
H. A. Blom and Y. Bar-Shalom. The Interacting Multiple
Model Algorithm for System with Markovian Switching Coefficient. IEEE Trans. Automatic Control, volume AC-33, No.8, pages 780-783, 1988.
R. L. Li and Y. Bar-Shalom. Design of an Interacting Multiple Model Algorithm for Air Traffic Control Tracking.
IEEE Trans. Control Syst. Tech., volume 1, No.3, pages
186-194, 1993.
L. Ljung. Asymptotic behavior of the extended Kalman
filter as a parameter estimator for linear system. IEEE
Trans. Automatic Control, volume AC-24, No.1, pages
36-50, 1979.

Fig. 14. Mode probabilities for modes 1 and 2

Fig. 15. Mode probabilities for modes 6, 7 and 8

We described the interacting multiple-model(IMM) method
for detecting faults in railway vehicles from the measured lateral acceleration of the bogie and body and from
the yaw rate of the bogie. A parameter-estimation technique using EKF was also compared with the IMM-based
method.
We examined the validity of the proposed approach by
performing two simulations, a secondary lateral damper
failure (the damping coefficient reduced from its nominal
value) and a lateral accelerometer failure (covariance of
the measurement noise is increase) in railway vehicle
suspension systems.
Simulation results indicate that the IMM-based method is
an effective on-board fault detection technique for railway
vehicle suspension systems.
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