Levitation and stability in maglev systems
Abstract
We present an experimental, project-based approach to teaching classical electrodynamics through the construction and analysis of a scaled-down magnetic levitation train. Using flexible magnetic tape as a guideway, we demonstrate stable levitation and perform precise measurements of the vertical gap as a function of load. These experimental data are validated using an analytical force model derived from a dipole-layer approximation, which confirms the self-restoring vertical stability of the repulsive configuration. By bridging laboratory measurements with theoretical energy methods, students can extrapolate their scaled results to industrial parameters, successfully reproducing the passenger capacity of a full-scale commercial maglev vehicle. This project offers a tangible platform for applying core concepts such as magnetic field geometry, vector potentials, and Earnshaw’s theorem to a high-interest, real-world engineering challenge.
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BibTeX
@article{sayegh2026levitation,
title = {{Levitation and stability in maglev systems}},
author = {Peter Albert Sayegh and Arnaud Couairon and Hadrien Déo and Yazan Abou Rabii},
journal = {European Journal of Physics},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1088/1361-6404/aeaab7},
url = {https://u-picardie.hal.science/hal-05777872v1},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Levitation and stability in maglev systems
AU - Peter Albert Sayegh
AU - Arnaud Couairon
AU - Hadrien Déo
AU - Yazan Abou Rabii
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/21
JO - European Journal of Physics
DO - 10.1088/1361-6404/aeaab7
UR - https://u-picardie.hal.science/hal-05777872v1
AB - We present an experimental, project-based approach to teaching classical electrodynamics through the construction and analysis of a scaled-down magnetic levitation train. Using flexible magnetic tape as a guideway, we demonstrate stable levitation and perform precise measurements of the vertical gap as a function of load. These experimental data are validated using an analytical force model derived from a dipole-layer approximation, which confirms the self-restoring vertical stability of the repulsive configuration. By bridging laboratory measurements with theoretical energy methods, students can extrapolate their scaled results to industrial parameters, successfully reproducing the passenger capacity of a full-scale commercial maglev vehicle. This project offers a tangible platform for applying core concepts such as magnetic field geometry, vector potentials, and Earnshaw’s theorem to a high-interest, real-world engineering challenge.
SN - 0143-0807
SN - 1361-6404
ER -