is an open access repository that collects the work of Arts et Métiers ParisTech researchers and makes it freely available over the web where possible. This is an author-deposited version published in: http://sam.ensam.eu Handle ID Abstract OSCAR is the pantograph catenary dynamic software developed by SNCF since 2004. A threedimensional Finite Element mesh allows the modelling of any catenary type: AC or DC designs, conventional or high speed lines. It is representative of the real overhead

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... e geometry, with contact wire irregularities, staggered alignment of the contact wire (CW), dropper spacing, wire tension, etc. Non-linearities, such as slackening of droppers and unilateral contact between the pantograph and the contact wire, are taken into account. Several pantograph models can be used, with a complexity level growing from the three lumped mass model to the multi-body (MB) model. In the second case, a cosimulation between the FEM catenary and the MB pantograph models has been developed. Industrial features for pre and post-treatments were developed to increase robustness of results and optimize computation time. Recent developments include volume meshing of the contact wire for stress computation or statistical analysis and lead to new fields of studies such as fatigue failure or design optimization. OSCAR was fully validated against inline measurements for its different AC and DC catenary models as well as its different pantograph models (with independent strips for instance) and has continuously been certified against EN50318 since 2008.