Full-Scale Locomotive Dynamic Collision Testing and Correlations: Offset Collisions between a Locomotive and a Covered Hopper Car (Test 4)

This report presents the test results and finite element correlations of a full-scale dynamic collision test with rail vehicles as part of the Federal Railroad Administration’s research program on improved crashworthiness of locomotive structures. This test involved the 30-mile per hour oblique collision of a locomotive with a stationary covered hopper car fouling the locomotive’s right-of-way. The test used an SD70-MAC locomotive. The locomotive and the cars in its consist were fully instrumented with accelerometers, strain gauges, and anthropomorphic test dummies. High-speed photography was used to record the events. This report presents the test data and the dynamic finite element modeling results. Reasonable agreement has been found in the dynamic event sequence correlations and the structural damage to the front end of the locomotive.

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• Record URL:
  • https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/23494
• Corporate Authors:

  Foster-Miller Associates, Incorporated

  350 Second Avenue
  Waltham, MA  United States  02254

  Federal Railroad Administration

  Office of Railroad Policy and Development, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Samavedam, Gopal
  • Kasturi, Kash
• Publication Date: 2011-9

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 44p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Accelerometers; Crashes; Crashworthiness; Dummies; Finite element method; Hopper cars; Locomotives; Prototype tests; Strain gages
• Subject Areas: Railroads; Safety and Human Factors; I80: Accident Studies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01360981
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: DOT/FRA/ORD-11/16.II, DFRA.040048
• Files: NTL, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Jan 25 2012 2:21PM