On the shift of cargo on a railway platform under the influence of transverse forces

Abstract

This paper dwells upon securing solid cargo on a railcar. Transverse cargo shift and forces of elastic securing devices. The authors sought to calculate the shearing force acting on the elastic securing elements and retention bars; the retentive forces that prevent cargo from shifting across the car (the transverse shift); the transverse cargo shift; the force of elastic securing elements as exposed to transverse forces. This study relies on the second law as applicable to relative motion for a frictional constraint, as known in theoretical mechanics. The paper presents the calculated shearing and retentive forces. The authors calculated the equivalent stiffness of elastic securing elements. They thus computed the transverse shift (displacement) of cargo and the elongation of each elastic element that secures the cargo. They also found the forces of elastic securing elements as exposed to transverse forces. It was thus discovered that the forces of the second securing pair were more than double the acceptable limit, which would cause that pair to break during transport. To make the second elastic pair stronger, one might double the number of retention-bar fasteners so that the forces of the second fastening pair wouldn’t exceed the limits. An example of calculation is useful in developing a new methodology for calculating the elements of cargo securing on a car. The calculation results proved that to ensure guaranteed safety and reliability of the transportation process, it is necessary to either increase the number of securing elements of the retention bar, or increase the number of elastic securing elements with subsequent recalculation of forces in all elastic securing elements.