Railway Wagons Research Articles

Fatigue test loading method for wagon body based on measured load

PurposeIn this paper, the C80 special coal gondola car was taken as the subject, and the load test data of the car body at the center plate, side bearing and coupler measured on the dedicated line were broken down to generate the random load component spectrums of the car body under five working conditions, namely expansion, bouncing, rolling, torsion and pitching according to the typical motion attitude of the car body.Design/methodology/approachOn the basis of processing the measured load data, the random load component spectrums were equivalently converted into sinusoidal load component spectrums for bench test based on the principle of pseudo-damage equivalence of load. Relying on the fatigue and vibration test bench of the whole railway wagon, by taking each sinusoidal load component spectrum as the simulation target, the time waveform replication (TWR) iteration technology was adopted to create the drive signal of each loading actuator required for the fatigue test of car body on the bench, and the drive signal was corrected based on the equivalence principle of measured stress fatigue damage to obtain the fatigue test loads of car body under various typical working conditions.FindingsThe fatigue test results on the test bench were substantially close to the measured test results on the line. According to the results, the relative error between the fatigue damage of the car body on the test bench and the measured damage on the line was within the range of −16.03%–27.14%.Originality/valueThe bench test results basically reproduced the fatigue damage of the key parts of the car body on the line.

Wheel Defect Detection with Advanced Machine Learning

Abstract: Wheel defects on railway wagons have been identified as an important source of damage to the railway infrastructure and rolling stock. They also cause noise and vibration emissions that are costly to mitigate. We propose two machine learning methods to automatically detect these wheel defects, based on the wheel vertical force measured by a permanently installed sensor system on the railway network. Our methods automatically learn different types of wheel defects and predict during normal operation if a wheel has a defect or not. The first method is based on novel features for classifying time series data and it is used for classification with a support vector machine. To evaluate the performance of our method we construct multiple data sets for the following defect types: flat spot, shelling, and non-roundness. We outperform classical defect detection methods for flat spots and demonstrate prediction for the other two defect types for the first time. Motivated by the recent success of artificial neural networks for image classification, we train custom artificial neural networks with convolutional layers on 2-D representations of the measurement time series. The neural network approach improves the performance on wheels with flat spots and non-roundness by explicitly modelling the multi sensor structure of the measurement system through multiple instances learning and shift invariant networks.

Non-linear dynamics and stability of rolling bearing–axle coupling system of a railway freight wagon with the change of axle rotating speed

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the non-linear characteristics and stability of the rolling bearing–axle coupling system under the excitation of the axle/wheel speed of railway freight cars, so as to put forward a rationale for judging the vibration law and running stability of railway freight wagon.Design/methodology/approachConsidering the effects of eccentric force of the railway wagon axle, the non-linear resistance of the wagon and non-linear support forces of axle box rolling bearings, a centralized mass model of rolling bearing-axle coupling system of railway freight wagon is presented on the basis of the theory of rotor dynamics and non-linear dynamics. Then the Runge-Kutta method is adopted to solve the non-linear response of the proposed system, and numerical simulation including bifurcation diagrams, axis trajectory curves, phase plane plots, Poincaré sections and amplitude spectras are analysed when the axle rotating speed is changed. Meantime, the relation curve between Floquet multiplier and axle rotating speed, which affects the stability of coupling system, is plotted by numerical method based on the Floquet theory and method.FindingsThe simulation results of the dynamic model reveal the abundant dynamic behaviour of the coupling system when the axle rotating speed changes, including single period, quasi period, multi-period and chaotic motion, as well as the evolution law from multi-period motion to chaotic motion. And especially, the bearing–axle coupling system is in stable state with a single period motion when the axle rotating speed changes from 410 rpm to 510 rpm, in which the running speed of railway freight wagon is changed from 62 km/h to 80 km/h, the vibration displacement of the coupling system in X direction is between 1.2 mm and 1.8 mm, and the vibration displacement of the coupling system in Y direction is between 1.0 mm and 1.45 mm. Meanwhile, the influence law of axle rotating speed on the stability is obtained by comparing the bifurcation diagram and Floquet multiplier graph of the coupling system.Originality/valueThe numerical simulation data obtained in this study can provide a theoretical evidence for designing the running speed of railway freight wagon, utilizing or controlling the non-linear dynamic behaviours of the proposed coupling system, and ensuring the stability of railway freight wagons.

Method for designing freight wagons for use in industry and engineering teaching

The transport of goods on the Brazilian railway networks has been growing over the last decades, reflecting growth in industries in this segment, including those related to the design of railway wagons. The general objective of this paper is to propose a method for designing railway wagons capable of developing the usual wagon models and meeting specific design demands, which can be applied in industrial environments and education. The proposed method combines practices identified in the literature on the design of railway wagons with traditional product development methods. It was structured in three phases: Informational Design, Conceptual Design, and Detail Design. The proposed method was evaluated by wagon manufacturers in Brazil and applied in teaching environments, demonstrating its feasibility. The method proposed for the design of railway wagons presented in this work has a high affinity with the practices adopted by the industry and is easy to apply in the academic environment, helping both in the training of human resources and in the execution of new wagon design projects.

铁路货车典型拉铆连接结构可靠性分析

铁路货车典型拉铆连接结构可靠性分析

Passive safety in railway vehicles: a review

The main aim of this contribution is to present the railway vehicles passive safety issues together with related rules, standards and norms being significant to the producers of railway vehicles. Such aim corresponds to criteria, which have to be met regarding the passengers’ safety, and which are related even to the interior design of passenger railway vehicle. Moreover, the current technical solutions of passenger wagons are presented together with selected aspects of their safety testing. The paper includes fundamentals in design of individual parts of railway wagons, and an overall solution of an interior design to minimize the negative impact on the passengers’ and train crew's safety, i.e. to prevent injuries in case of a potential collision. The objective of this contribution is to provide the review of current technical solutions of railway vehicles, including the normative requirements, regarding to the passive safety of railway vehicles.

Application of structural rapid simulation technology in railway wagon equipment

In the traditional finite element simulation analysis, the designer spend a lot of time and energy to establish a reasonable finite element model. This approach is not suitable for rapid iterative updates and optimizations of products.Therefore, for the needs of rapid simulation of structure,this article introduced the basic principle of implicit boundary method and the characteristics of different analytical methods.The author explored and practiced the application of structural rapid simulation technology based on meshless method.Through the comparative study of simulation examples, The results of meshless analysis and finite element analysis are consistent. But the meshless method increase analysis efficiency by 92.5%.The research results have certain practical guiding significance for the application of structural rapid simulation in the engineering field.

Multi-Criteria Decision Making Methods for Selection of Lightweight Material for Railway Vehicles.

This paper deals with the selection of the optimal material for railway wagons, from among three different steel and three aluminium based materials, by using four different Multicriteria Decision Making Methods (MCDM) and comparing their ranking of the materials. We analysed: Dual-Phase 600 steel, Transformation-Induced Plasticity (TRIP) 700 steel, Twinning-Induced Plasticity (TWIP) steel, Aluminium (Al) alloys, Al 6005-T6, and Al 6082-T6, and porous Al structure with closed cells. Four different MCDM methods were used: VIKOR, TOPSIS, PROMETTHEE and the Weighted aggregated sum product assessment method (WASPAS). Key material properties that were used in the MCDM analysis were: density, yield strength (Y.S.), tensile strength (T.S.), Y.S./T.S. ratio, Youngs modulus (Y.M.), cost and corrosion resistance (C.R.). Research results indicate that aluminium and its alloys prove to be the most suitable material, based on setup criteria. Advanced steels also achieved good ranking, making them a valid option, immediately behind lightweight aluminium alloys. Porous aluminium did not perform well, according to the used MDCM methods, mainly due to the significantly lower strength exhibited by the porous structures in general.

Braithwaite – in search of a sustainable turnaround

Learning outcomes The learning outcomes of this study are as follows: ■ understand organizational turnaround and its sustainability;■ applying the understanding of turnarounds to distinguish between operational and strategic levers of a turnaround strategy; ■ analyze and evaluate past and present turnarounds from a sustainability perspective; and ■ formulate managerial actions to make turnaround sustainable. Case overview/synopsis Braithwaite Company Ltd. (Braithwaite) was a specialized engineering firm headquartered in Kolkatta, India. It primarily undertook structural steel fabrication to make railway wagons and bridge structures. It was incorporated as a private enterprise almost a century back. However, since its nationalization five decades ago, it has been operating as a public sector undertaking (PSU) under the aegis of Indian Railways, a department of the Government of India. The case documents the past three decades of the firm’s journey, during which it experienced three episodic turnarounds. Details of the first two turnarounds are presented as the background, in light of which sustainability of the third turnaround is to be examined. The case explores the sustainability of organizational turnarounds from the perspective of the current Chairman and Managing Director (CMD), the case protagonist. Braithwaite underwent financial and operational distress in 1992, 2005 and 2015 and negotiated them under different leaders. These leaders from diverse backgrounds used distinct tactics and strategies to bring about organizational turnarounds. The case provides data and information to assess the sustainability of the third turnaround. Hence, it allows a class to explore the paradoxical observation that while “turnaround” inherently implies sustenance of good performance over time, turnaround sustainability is not spontaneous in the real world. The case deals with the performance issues of PSUs, which make significant contributions to the national economy in the case of emerging economies (for example, 5%–8% of the Indian National gross domestic product is contributed by PSUs; https://swarajyamag.com/ideas/psus-are-crucial-for-indias-growth-but-only-if-they-play-a-strategic-role). Under government ownership and management, the poor performance of PSUs is often attributed to bad decision-making by its top management. In contrast, Braithwaite’s top management’s sound contextual decision-making resulted in a jump in its performance during each turnaround phase, but unsound fundamentals resulted in the unsustainability of the turnarounds. Hence, the case enables an exploration of the unique challenges faced by PSU that emanate from legacy roles, monopolistic markets and dual purpose – the concurrent pursuit of profits and social welfare. Consequently, the case allows an examination of the reasons for the distress of PSUs and the viability of turnaround strategies in the context of the broader Business–Government–Society landscape in emerging economies. Complexity academic level The case is written for use in the MBA elective course covering “Strategic Revival and Turnaround Strategies.” It can be used at the beginning of the course to identify reasons for organizational failure/distress or in the later part of the course to discuss the implementation of operational and strategic turnaround strategies. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code CSS 10: Public Sector Management.

Development of an optimized maintenance scheduling for emergency rescue railway wagons using a genetic algorithm: a case study of Iran railways company

PurposeThis paper aims to optimize the maintenance scheduling of emergency rescue wagons in railway companies using a genetic algorithm (GA). It offers an integrated model for simultaneously solving maintenance planning, preventive maintenance, prognostic information and resource planning from which optimal levels of the system performance in terms of cost and repair time could be determined.Design/methodology/approachThis study initially evaluates the previous types of research in presenting the optimal model of the rescue train wagon for maintenance and repair planning and lists the identified criteria based on experts' opinions using fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) and stepwise weight assessment ratio analysis (SWARA) techniques. Then, the final weight of the desired criteria is calculated. Later, the final decision matrix is evaluated by the experts. The final normal decision matrix is formed to select the optimal maintenance and repair planning plan based on the GA. Finally, two strategies including joint optimization strategy of preventive maintenance planning are compared with the independent preventive maintenance planning strategy.FindingsAccording to the primary results, three primary parameters, including technology, human damage caused by negligence and the average failure rate, should be considered for launching the GA model. Based on the results of the second part; by comparing the preventive maintenance planning strategy independently, the joint optimization strategy reduces the total cost of production up to 8.25%. Comparison results show that the total cost of joint optimization production is less than independent preventive maintenance and repair planning. Moreover, the value of total process time in joint optimization strategy was reduced by 1.2% compared to independent preventive maintenance (PM) planning (from 137.90 to 136.20 h).Originality/valueThe novelty of this paper lies on the application of the GAs to develop an optimized PM scheduling to localize the maintenance planning for maximizing productivity, avoid train accidents, reduce costs and increase efficiency and capacity.

Studies on tensile and tear fracture of the S8210 tarpaulin

The tarpaulin of PVC-coated S8210 wagons is a composite textile membrane. This material is resistant to atmospheric factors (wind, rain, snow, etc.), durable for many practical applications and can be manufactured in various colors and prints. PVC membrane material is inexpensive, soft and easy to manufacture. These materials are widely used in large-opening spatial structures due to excellent mechanical behavior and beautiful textures. The tarpaulins are made by the method of welding with high frequency currents from the material S8210. In the present paper, the tensile and tearing mechanical properties of tarpaulins intended to protect goods carried by railway wagons are presented. The results of this study can be used in establishing the appropriate utilization of the fabric, in accordance to the warp and weft directions.

An economic view on rerouting railway wagons in a single wagonload network to avoid congestion

SummaryIt is expected that in the process of meeting the climate policy goals, more transport will take place by rail. Single wagonload transport plays a crucial role as a direct competitor to road-based transport. The aim of this contribution is an evaluation of capacity correlated effects in a railway wagon routing network.MethodsFor this purpose, we developed a mathematical optimisation model. In order to be able to identify the effects and impacts of congestion we created several scenarios and evaluated each of them individually.FindingsBy conducting computational experiments we were able to identify various effects and draw conclusions about the impact. This work contributes to the optimisation of the most costefficient short-term rerouting of railway wagons in single wagonload transport.

Synergetic Effect of CeO2 Doping on Structural and Tribological Behavior of Fe-Al2O3 Metal Matrix Nanocomposites

Cerium oxide (CeO2) doped iron (Fe) - alumina (Al2O3) Metal Matrix Nanocomposites have been studied in this article. Doped with 0.5 and 1.0 percent CeO2, the nanocomposites in this system were made in the lab. Weighing, Powder milling, die pressing, and sintering at 1100 °C for one hour in an atmosphere-controlled furnace were used to develop the specimens. Microstructural inspection of a worn-out surface on the prepared specimens was carried out in addition to the phase determination and microstructural assessment that were performed on the fabricated specimens. Fe, Al2O3, CeO2, and FeAl2O4 phases were all seen in the XRD data. There were nano dispersion of FeAl2O4 and CeO2 particles in the dense phase microstructure of the produced samples. Increasing the amount of cerium oxide in the material resulted in an increase in both density and hardness. The specimen’s wear rate was shown to decrease with an increase in cerium oxide content %. The present developed material will be useful for heavy duty applications like railway wagon wheels.

Surgical Treatment of Traumatic Posterior Sternoclavicular Joint Dislocation: А Case Report.

Posterior sternoclavicular joint dislocation is a rare condition. In this paper, we present a 51-year-old male patient who was admitted to the emergency department in our hospital after he was hit by a mining railway wagon in the chest. A diagnosis of posterior sternoclavicular dislocation was confirmed after performing a CT scan. Following necessary preparations, the sternoclavicular joint was stabilized with two wire cerclage techniques during open reduction. During control at the postoperative 4th week, the range of motion at the shoulder was satisfactory, but the patient had mild pain at the joint level and was sent to physical therapy to improve the range of motion and to minimize the pain.

Analysis of the wear characteristics of multi-directional die forging and forming dies for a railway wagon bogie adapter

Analysis of the wear characteristics of multi-directional die forging and forming dies for a railway wagon bogie adapter

Simulation of dynamic performance and wheel-rail wear of railway wagon under deviation of cargo gravity center

A multibody dynamic model of railway wagon is established by Simpack software, and the derailment coefficient, wheel load reduction rate, impact angle and wear index of freight car are calculated under different gravity center offsets and different curve conditions. The simulation results show that the lateral and longitudinal offsets of cargo gravity center have a great influence on the derailment coefficient, wheel unloading rate, impact angle and wear index of the vehicle. The larger the offset of the cargo gravity center is, the worse the operation performance of the wagon is, the more serious the wheel-rail wear is, and the shorter the transport life of the wagon is. The smaller the radius of the curve is, the greater the impact is.

Remaining useful life prediction framework for crack propagation with a case study of railway heavy duty coupler condition monitoring

A general Remaining useful life (RUL) framework for predicting crack propagation of mechanical system structures based on limited condition monitoring data was proposed. For states of invisible cracks, a method that considers the common characteristics of the object was proposed by using the crack propagation stage as the delay time, combining statistical distribution and hypothesis testing. Then, for the states of visible cracks, methods based on a hypothetical distribution and support vector regression with the Kalman filter considering the current state and individual degradation characteristics were proposed. Finally, taking the condition monitoring data of the coupler body crack state as a case, the RUL prediction from the whole to the individual differences is achieved. The research results indicate that the framework achieves a competitive effect in RUL of internal crack propagation structures of railway wagons, which have important theoretical and practical value for integrity assessment and reliability life prediction.

Emission of Structural Noise of Tank Wagons Due to Induced Vibrations during Wagon Operation

Railway transport is considered relatively environmentally friendly in terms of energy consumption and air pollution, but it is relatively unfriendly in terms of noise pollution. Noise and vibrations propagating to railroad surrounding areas are disturbing populations. In order to minimize this noise, legislation and regulations such as TSI NOI have been adopted and research of noise and vibrations generated by railway transport has been carried out. Such research has been carried out also by our team focused on experimental investigation of noise generated by railway wagons, in this particular case on tank wagons. We simulated the structural eigenfrequencies of both bogies and tanks using FEM models to find vibrations and corresponding noise levels generated by these vibrations. Theoretical results have been compared with results of measurements of noise generated by impact hammer and visualization of noise fields using a digital acoustic camera Soundcam. Based on the simulation and measurements, principal frequency noise domains of fundamental noise sources were determined—rolling (40–63 Hz), tank (200–1000 Hz), bogie (400–1600 Hz), and wheel (800–10,000 Hz). Measurements on the railway line under real operational conditions at two train speeds have been carried out, too, to see the actual external noise levels.

Prediction of microstructure evolution during multidirectional forging of the railway wagon bogie adpter

The railway wagon bogie adapter is a critical component in train operation, with stringent quality requirements. Microstructure uniformity is an effective method for improving adapter quality. A three-dimensional thermodynamic coupling model of the railway wagon bogie adapter hot forging was established by Deform-3D, and the evolution of the grain size of the forging during the hot forging was predicted. In conjunction with orthogonal tests, the effect of process parameter interaction on adapter uniformity was investigated. The adapter had uniform microstructure distribution when the forging temperature was 1100 °C, the die forging speed was 27.5 mm/s, and the friction coefficient was 0.21. The hot forging test of the adapter was performed using the optimized parameters, and the forging was sampled at different positions for metallographic experiments, which measured the grain size of the forging at different positions in agreement with the simulation results and verified the simulation's accuracy.

Intelligent video surveillance of containers in the view of electromagnetic compatibility tests

Abstract: The article presents the results of field tests of the intelligent video monitoring system of railway wagons, own name IMW. The IMW device was created as part of a project financed by the National Center for Research and Development, under Measure 4.1 of the Intelligent Development Operational Program 2014-2020 POIR.04.01.04-00-0157/17-00. The leader of the project is MobileMS, while the Railway Institute conducted various research works from 2019 to 2021 together with other institutions (consortium partners) i.e. STIPENDIUM Institute of Science and Technology and Kodegenix. The Automation and Telecommunications Laboratory of the Railway Institute realized part of the electromagnetic compatibility tests. The measurements were carried out in laboratory and field conditions in order to reduce as much as possible the level of generated interference from the IMW device. Tests were carried out on the IMW device mounted by means of metal clamps on the hydraulic distribution block of the WM-15A type motorized bogie. EMC and interference test specialists of the Railway Institute developed test templates according to which the planned measurements were carried out. Keywords: Electromagnetic Compatibility; Diagnostics; Radiated emission