Vibrations in the Hyperloop system

The Hyperloop system is able to reach higher speeds than any other transportation system. At these high speeds, vibrations could induce a potentially destructive force on the vehicle. These vibrations are caused by inconsistencies in the track which, in our case, is made up of sections of only a few meters long. The faster the vehicle is travelling, the higher the frequency of these vibrations and the greater the energy that is transferred to the vehicle. Together with Sebert Trillingstechniek, we have confronted these issues head on and found practical solutions to potential issues.

In the past, many mechanical components have collapsed due to resonance, and loose connections are often a cause of electrical failure. Vibrational failure can occur with many different subsystems in the vehicle. Examples include leaks in the pneumatic brake system, a loss of connection between data cables or resonance induced failure for mechanical parts. Our goal is to produce a vehicle that is as reliable as possible. That is why we have invested a lot of time into the testing and analysis ofvarious vibration patterns and sequences.

A high quality vibration analysis is difficult to achieve with any trustworthy results, and why a practical insight into the effects of vibrations is necessary. At ‘Sebert Trillingstechniek’, together with Test Specialist, ‘Michel Magendans’, we have tested multiple parts of our design on a large vibration table. We have gained an enormous insight into the behaviours under vibrational load.Along with Michel from Sebert, we have formulated effective, practical solutions in order to improve the performance of the vehicle. The eventual outcome is that we have achieved a solid set of test results and improvement solutions which have not only increased the reliability of our pod, but also increased our confidence in it.