Three-dimensional derailment analysis of crashed freight trains

In this paper, the collision-induced derailment of freight trains was investigated. The collision between two identical freight trains occurring on a curved path rather than along a straight line was investigated. This is because from the point of view of safety against derailment this collision scenario is thought to be more critical than the scenarios defined in the European standard EN 15227. In this work, one of the trains is stationary and the other moving train collides at 36 km/h. Two kinds of container wagons were simulated. One is the two-axle freight wagon Kls 442. Another is the freight wagon Rmms 662 with two Y25 bogies. Simulation results demonstrate that in terms of safety against derailment the bogie wagon Rmms 662 was found to have better behaviour than the two-axle wagon Kls 442. In addition, this study points out that there are many contributory factors to the responses of freight wagons during a collision, such as curve radius, distance between bogie pivots and loading mass. The derailment phenomenon is less likely to occur, when freight trains collide on the curve with a larger radius. Besides that the characteristics of freight wagons with large axle loads, low centre of gravity of car body and appropriate static strength are favourable for the collided wagons in reducing the risk of derailment.

• Record URL:
  • https://doi.org/10.1080/00423114.2014.881512
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00423114
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Abstract reprinted with permission of Taylor & Francis.
• Authors:
  • Zhou, Hechao
  • Zhang, Jimin
  • Hecht, Markus
• Publication Date: 2014-3

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 341-361
• Serial:
  • Vehicle System Dynamics
  • Volume: 52
  • Issue Number: 3
  • Publisher: Taylor & Francis
  • ISSN: 0042-3114
  • EISSN: 1744-5159
  • Serial URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/nvsd20/current

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Derailments; Energy absorption; Freight cars; Freight trains; Railroad crashes; Railroad safety; Vehicle dynamics
• Subject Areas: Freight Transportation; Railroads; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I80: Accident Studies; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01520462
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 29 2014 11:14AM