Analysis of colliding vehicle interactions for the passenger rail train-to-train impact test

Details

• Alternative Title:
  Proceedings of the 2004 ASME/IEEE Joint Rail Conference
• Creators:
  Stringfellow, Richard ; Rancatore, Robert ; Llana, Patricia ; Mayville, Ronald
• Corporate Creators:
  TIAX LLC
• Corporate Contributors:
  John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center (U.S.) ; United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Railroad Administration
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  • Prototype tests
  • Collisions
  • Crashworthiness
  • Finite element method
  • Dynamic structural analysis
  • Impact tests
  • Cabs (Vehicle compartments)
  • Passenger cars
  • Commuter cars
  • Locomotives
  More +
• Publication/ Report Number:
  RTD2004-66037
• Resource Type:
  Proceedings
• Geographical Coverage:
  United States
• Corporate Publisher:
  American Society of Mechanical Engineers ; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Abstract:
  A full-scale train-to-train impact test was performed in ; which a cab car-led passenger train traveling at 30 mph collided ; with a standing locomotive-led train. During the test, the lead ; cab car overrode the cab of the standing locomotive, sustaining ; approximately 20 feet of crush, while the cab of the locomotive ; remained essentially intact. ; In this study, a finite element-based analysis of the ; collision was performed. The first 0.5 seconds of the collision ; was simulated. Results of the analysis were compared with ; accelerometer and video test data. Specific comparisons are ; made between test data and model predictions for: motions of ; the cab car and the standing locomotive; longitudinal forces ; arising between the cab car and the standing locomotive and ; between the respective lead and trailing vehicles; and the mode ; of deformation of the cab car and the locomotive. ; The results of the study indicate that the model captures ; pertinent features of the first 0.3 seconds of the collision, ; particularly with respect to longitudinal vehicle motions and ; collision forces. After 0.3 seconds, agreement between model ; predictions and test data becomes progressively worse. This is ; attributable to the model’s inability to capture the massive ; fracture that occurs at the front of the cab car.
  More +
• Format:
  PDF
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/9864/dot_9864_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 805.32 KB]
• Collection(s):
  Volpe Center ; Federal Railroad Administration
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:aba49c0a044899972ce438211125c60d0beb7bd83a2b8b0c05ee50d38c809960