REPORT ON ANALYSIS OF TANK CAR TUB ROCKETING IN ACCIDENTS

The objective of Phase 12 of the RPI-AAR Tank Car Safety Project is to explain fundamentally the phenomena of tank car fracture behavior in accidents, particularly those fractures which led to violent ruptures. The Battelle Columbus Laboratories was engaged to conduct this research, and Battelle's final report on the study has been published under Report RA-12-2-20, "Phase 12 Report on Analysis of Fracture Behavior of Tank Cars in Accidents". The analysis explained the various fracture phenomena that have occurred and which have led to various tank rupture patterns. One type involves a fracture which runs longitudinally, then turns to a circumferential tearing shear fracture. This sometimes completely encircles the tank and creates a tank section open at the fractured end and closed at the other end by the tank head. The unreleased pressure acting on the closed end creates an unbalanced force on the "tub" and causes it to rocket. Battelle analyzed this rocketing phenomena and discusses the effectives on possible design changes which would offer the potential of reducing the distance travelled by the tubs, or eliminating the rocketing completely.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • An RPI-AAR Cooperative Project.
• Corporate Authors:

  Association of American Railroads Research Center

  3140 South Federal Street
  Chicago, IL  United States  60616
• Authors:
  • PHILLIPS, E A
• Publication Date: 1972-12-12

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 52 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crash risk forecasting; Explosions; Fracture mechanics; Liquefied petroleum gas; Risk assessment; Tank cars; Vehicle design
• Old TRIS Terms: Tank car design; Tank car heads; Tank car safety research and test project
• Subject Areas: Design; Railroads; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00080280
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Association of American Railroads
• Report/Paper Numbers: R-146
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 29 1976 12:00AM