Documentation of deformation from passenger rail two-car impact test

Details

• Creators:
  MacNeill, Robert A ; Kirkpatrick, Steven W
• Corporate Creators:
  Applied Research Associates ; United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Railroad Administration ; John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (U.S.)
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  • Collapse
  • Crashworthiness
  • Deformation
  • Finite element method
  • Crash tests
  • Passenger cars
  • Railroad cars
  • Railroad safety
  • Railroads
  • Structural members
  More +
• Publication/ Report Number:
  DOT-VNTSC-FRA-03-09;DOT/FRA/ORD-03/08
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  United States
• Edition:
  Final report; April 2000 - February 2002
• Corporate Publisher:
  United States. Federal Railroad Administration. Office of Research and Development
• Abstract:
  The Volpe Center has been conducting research into rail equipment crashworthiness in support of the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) Office of Research and Development. As part of this research, full-scale crash tests of passenger cars have been performed. Subsequent detailed post-test examinations develop an improved understanding of the collapse mechanisms of the dominant structural elements as well as overall dynamic crash behavior. This knowledge can be used for interpreting test data, estimating energy dissipation during the test, developing detailed finite element models, and designing safer passenger cars. This report documents a detailed post-test inspection performed on the lead car from a full-scale test featuring two coupled passenger coach cars impacting a fixed wall at 26 mph, which was conducted on April 4, 2000. Damages to primary structural members including the draft sill, side sills, and cant rails were documented including modes and magnitude of deformation. Other secondary structural components such as the superstructure skin, belt rails, and floor were also documented.
• Format:
  PDF
• Funding:
  RR228/R2067
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/8846/dot_8846_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 17.68 MB]
• Collection(s):
  Federal Railroad Administration ; Volpe Center
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:803b2673bc6963d672bb6cc28b783a476655b602fa1b5e7533e9f7e009db0e8d4013ee3a05fcf5171098744662044f3977a4949367f75047c9e9f2de73ebcaf4