FREIGHT CAR FATIGUE ANALYSIS TEST ON FAST (FACILITY FOR ACCELERATED SERVICE TESTING)

As a result of observed cracks in the fabricated center sills of many freight cars in the FAST consist, a special Fatigue Analysis Test (FAT) was conducted on the FAST Track during August and September of 1978. This report provides an analysis of the static and dynamic strain data from a base case "uncracked" car, a "cracked" car, and four cars with various structural "fixes" at the critical lower body bolster/center sill region. Vertical strain ranges were found to be critically high in the relatively thin section fabricated center sill with corresponding maximum stress ranges exceeding 30,000 psi during some periods of FAST operation. The prediction of the base case eight car mileage to crack initiation based on measured strain is reasonably conservative relative to the minimum FAST mileage to the first crack detection. A ranking of the merit of the "fixes" based on an application of the Fatigue Life Analysis Program is given. The report concludes that the observed cracks were caused by many cycles of critically high strain in the fabricated center sill section, and that a doubler plate appears to be the best fix. Also, the Fatigue Design Guidelines are reasonably conservative in predicting fatigue cracks. Recommendations are included to explore some residual uncertainties from the test and also structural analysis difficulties.

• Record URL:
  https://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Document/16024
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Prepared in cooperation with Railway Progress Inst., Alexandria, VA.
• Corporate Authors:

  Association of American Railroads Research Center

  3140 South Federal Street
  Chicago, IL  United States  60616

  Federal Railroad Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Moyar, G J
  • Burns, J E
• Publication Date: 1980-7

Media Info

• Pagination: 65 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Construction scheduling; Cracking; Dynamic structural analysis; Fatigue (Mechanics); Fatigue cracking; Fatigue tests; Freight cars; Repeated loads; Structural analysis; Test trains; Vehicle design
• Uncontrolled Terms: Fatigue life
• Old TRIS Terms: Body bolsters; Center plate design; Center sills; Fast track; Freight car design
• Subject Areas: Construction; Design; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00328388
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: FRA/TTC-80/04 Final Rpt.
• Files: NTIS, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Apr 15 1981 12:00AM