Sensitivity Analysis and Optimisation of Key Parameters for Railway Rigid Overhead System and Pantograph

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

This paper builds a rigid overhead system model based on the finite element method to enhance the speed of the rigid overhead system. The quantification of each parameter's contribution reveals that the increase in bending stiffness positively reduces the contact force fluctuation. Some concerns need to be addressed, which are listed below:

(1) It is suggested to compare the method with other methods in state-of-the-art papers.

(2) The computation complexity of the method is suggested to be added.

(3) It is suggested to verify the proposed method under different scenarios to test its robustness.

Author Response

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Reviewer 2 Report

The authors of the paper titled "Sensitivity Analysis and Optimisation of Key Parameters for Railway Rigid Overhead System and Pantograph" have described and analyzed a very important and difficult topic related to the cooperation pantograph with the overhead system. The topic is interesting and well-presented.

I do not have major substantive comments, but the following elements of the paper should be improved:

1)      In my opinion, for this type of paper, the number of references should be limited to the most important 30-40 items.

2)      The way of multiple references to the literature should be improved, it should be in the form: [x, y, z], not [x], [y], [z].

3)      Please pay attention to punctuation errors, e.g. line 132 ",;".

4)      Eq. (1) should be more legible.

5)      The numeric value should not be on a different line than the unit, e.g. lines 319-320.

6)      In general, the article should be improved from the editorial side and more attention should be paid to correct line spacing and formatting - especially within figures and formulas.

 

7)      The paper should also include information about further research plans.

Author Response

Please see our response to your comments in the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

 

This paper deals with the investigation of the crucial parameters for the contact force for railway  rigid overhead system and pantographs. The subject is very interesting, the introduction is satisfactory, but some points should be explained in a better way. More specifically:

è Line 143: please determine the relative velocity (which velocity difference is)

è Line 153: How are the parameters of equation (5) determined?

è Section 5: The optimization process is not clear (the steps should be described in a better way).  Eq. (10) is general. The mathematical base should be given analytically (the precise equation / connection of different variables).

è Lines 300-318: According to Kolmogorov’s theorem one hidden layer can be used if the proper hidden nodes of this hidden layer is chosen. The respective step of the optimization process should be described / justified in a better way.

Table 2 and the respective comments: A practical issue is arisen. The key parameters can be calibrated to the maximum speed (150 km/h). What is the respective behavior for smaller velocities using  the key parameters of the maximum velocity? Is the behavior for all velocities [0, 150 km/h] satisfactory?

Author Response

Please see our response to your comments in the attachment.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 3 Report

The reviewer is satisfied by the authors' responses.