When high-speed trains are subjected to high speed winds at exposed locations such as bridges, aerodynamic forces and moments acting on the vehicles become important, because lateral aerodynamic loads can cause the overturning of the vehicles, thence crosswind effects must be taken into account to determine the limits of operation for high speed www.tecnica-vialibre.es 1

trains. A way to decrease the lateral wind loads acting on a vehicle under cross-winds is to reduce the wind effects by using windbreaks. In this paper experimental results of the effects of windbreaks on the wind loads on a train coach are presented. Results have been obtained at IDR/UPM (Instituto Universitario de Investigación “Ignacio Da Riva”, E.T.S.I. aeronáuticos, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid) by wind tunnel testing of two-dimensional models. Tested windbreaks have been vertical parapets equipped with eaves at the top.