PASSENGER RAIL TWO-CAR IMPACT TEST. VOLUME I: OVERVIEW AND SELECTED RESULTS

A full-scale, two-car impact test was conducted on April 4, 2000. Two coupled rail passenger cars impacted a fixed barrier at 26 mph. The cars were instrumented with strain gauges, accelerometers, and string potentiometers to measure the deformation of critical structural elements, the longitudinal, vertical, and lateral car body accelerations, and the displacements of the truck suspensions. Instrumented crash-test dummies were also tested in several seat configurations, with and without lap and shoulder belts. The objectives of the two-car test were to measure the gross motions of the car, to measure the force/crush characteristic, to observe the car-to-car interaction, to observe failure modes of the major structural components, and to evaluate selected occupant protection strategies. The measurements taken during the test were used to refine and validate existing computer models of conventional passenger rail vehicles. This test was the second in a series of collision tests designed to characterize the collision behavior of rail vehicles. The two-car test resulted in approximately 6 feet of deformation at the impacting end of the lead vehicle, and a few inches of deformation at the coupler. The cars remained coupled, but buckled in a saw-tooth mode, with a 15-in. lateral displacement between the cars after the test. The test data from the two-car test compared favorably with data from the single-car test, and with analysis results developed with a lumped-mass computer model. The model is described in detail. The methods of filtering and interpreting the test data are also included.

• Record URL:
  http://www.fra.dot.gov/Elib/Details/L03716
• 
• Record URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/5225
• Corporate Authors:

  Volpe National Transportation Systems Center

  Cambridge, MA  United States  02142

  Federal Railroad Administration

  Office of Research and Development, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Tyrell, D
  • Severson, K
  • Zolock, J
  • Perlman, A B
• Publication Date: 2002-1

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 50 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Acceleration (Mechanics); Computer models; Crash tests; Crashworthiness; Deformation; Dummies; Occupant protection devices; Passenger vehicles; Seat belts; Speed; Validation
• Subject Areas: Railroads; Research; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00925980
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: DOT/FRA/ORD-01/22.I,, DOT-VNTSC-FRA-01-08.I,, Final Report
• Contract Numbers: RR128/R1001
• Files: NTL, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Jun 27 2002 12:00AM