How are scientists tackling vibration risks in next-generation maglev trains？

Maglev trains float above their tracks, eliminating wheel–rail contact and allowing speeds far beyond conventional rail. However, this technological advantage comes with an invisible challenge: vibration. Unlike traditional trains, maglev systems involve strong interactions between vehicles, electromagnetic suspension systems, guideways and bridges. When these parts vibrate together, small disturbances can quickly grow, threatening ride comfort, structural safety and even system stability.

In a review published in KeAi journal Journal of Railway Science and Technology, researchers examined decades of progress in understanding and controlling these coupled vibrations in maglev transportation systems. The study brings together findings from vehicle dynamics, structural engineering and control theory to explain where vibration problems come from—and how engineers are learning to manage them.

According to lead author Associate Professor Yougang Sun from Tongji University, control plays a central role in whether these vibrations remain manageable or become a serious safety risk. “In electromagnetic suspension maglev systems, the train does not passively ride on the guideway,” Sun explains. “Levitation relies on continuous, active control. This means the control system itself can become a source of excitation if it is not properly designed or tuned.”

Sun notes that this creates a major challenge unique to maglev transportation. “The control system must be fast enough to maintain a stable levitation gap, but also robust enough to avoid amplifying vibrations from the guideway or the vehicle,” he says. “As speeds increase and guideway flexibility becomes more significant, achieving this balance becomes increasingly difficult.”

The review shows that vibration can be triggered by many factors, including guideway irregularities, electromagnetic force fluctuations, time delays in control systems and extreme external disturbances such as wind or earthquakes. “As maglev speeds increase, these effects become more pronounced, making traditional design approaches insufficient,” adds Sun,.

To address this, researchers have developed a wide range of control strategies. Early methods relied on classical feedback control, while more recent approaches incorporate robust control, adaptive algorithms and artificial intelligence. These advanced methods allow maglev systems to respond more effectively to uncertainties, nonlinear behavior and changing operating conditions.

“Maglev vibration is not caused by a single component,” says corresponding author Yang Wang at Central South University. “It emerges from the interaction between the train, the control system and the supporting structure. That coupling is what makes the problem both challenging and fascinating.”

One key insight highlighted in the review is that improving vibration performance is not just about stronger structures or faster controllers. “Matching the dynamic characteristics of the vehicle, guideway and control system is crucial,” says Wang. “Poor coordination between these elements can actually amplify vibrations instead of suppressing them.”

By organizing and comparing existing models, experiments and control techniques, the study provides a clear roadmap for future maglev development. The authors hope it will help engineers design safer, smoother and more reliable maglev systems as countries around the world look to high-speed rail as a sustainable transport solution.

Contact author: 

State Key Laboratory of High-speed Maglev Transportation Technology, College of Transportation, Tongji University, Shanghai, China, 1989yoga@tongji.edu.cn.

Funder: 

The research is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, grant number 52272374 and 52441203, National Key R&D Program of China (2023YFB4302502) and Fundamental Research Project of China Railway Group (L2024G015(T001)).

Conflict of interest:

The authors declare no competing interests.

See the article:

Sun Y, Li F, Wang Y, et al. A Survey of Coupled Vibration Characteristics and Control Methods in Maglev Transportation: Challenges, Methods and Progress[J]. Journal of Railway Science and Technology, 2025. DOI: 10.1016/j.jrst.2025.10.002