EXPERIMENTAL STRESS ANALYSIS AT A GONDOLA WAGON

Tiberiu Ştefan MĂNESCU

Nicuşor Laurenţiu ZAHARIA
Ion SIMION
Constantin Vasile BÎTEA
Gelu BĂLAN
Eftimie Murgu University, 320085 Reşiţa, 1-4 Traian Vuia Square
e-mail: t.manescu@uem.ro
Romanian Railway Authority - AFER, 010719 Bucharest, 393 Calea Grivitei,
e-mail:, laurentiu@afer.ro, simion@afer.ro
Eftimie Murgu University, 320085 Reşiţa, 1-4 Traian Vuia Square
e-mail: bitea.ctin@yahoo.com
Eftimie Murgu University, 320085 Reşiţa, 1-4 Traian Vuia Square
gelu.balan@ardaf.ro

INTRODUCTION The measurements were performed in 35 points.

This abstract present the experimental stress
analysis of a strength structure of a gondola
wagon. The gondola wagons are wagons only
with side and frontal walls (without roof).
Because of wide range of freight which can be
loaded in those, the gondola wagons are in large
number at railway freight operators; this is the
reason why this type of wagon is standardized
dimensionally speaking. But still, the wagon
manufacturers try to improve the characteristics of
the wagons. Before putting in service this wagon,
a series of tests had to be carried out, among
which stress analysis in accordance with
international standards, as follows:
• EN 12663 – Structural requirements of railway
vehicle bodies;
• UIC leaflet 577 (UIC = Union Internationale
des Chemins de fer);
• ERRI B12/RP17 (ERRI = European Rail
Research Institute).
The tests which are presented in this paper
were performed at Romanian Railway Authority –
AFER on Stress Analysis Bench Test.
MEASURAMENT POINTS
The measurement points were located in the
relevant load areas:
• Elements of the chassis;
• Door case.
Hottinger LY11-10/120 strain gages were glued on
the elements of the wagon with Hottinger Z70
adhesive. The diagrams of the measurement point
location on the frame are shown in figures 1 and 2.
TESTS
The following tests were performed in accordance
with the above mentioned standards:
1. 2 MN compressive force at buffer level;
2. 2 MN compressive force at coupler level;
3. 1.5 MN compressive force below buffer;
4. 0.4 MN compressive force applied diagonally
at buffer level;
5. 1,5 MN tensile force in coupler area;
6. vertical loads tests;
7. lifting at one end of the vehicle;
8. lifting the whole vehicle.
Horizontal loads (1...5) were applied at one end of
the wagon by means of hydraulic cylinders. The other
end of the wagon was leaned at buffer level, coupler
level respectively. The vertical loads (6) were
obtained by loading the wagon with 800 kg metal
weighs.
The (7) test was performed lifting the loaded
wagon from under the buffer beam until the adjacent
bogie got off the rails, with the other bogie still
leaned on the rails.
The (8) load was obtained fully lifting the
wagon from under its lateral supports.
 Figure 2
Figure 1
RESULTS
The static tests accepted limits, in N/mm2, are
The measured stress was below the limits for all
shown in Table 1:
measuring points except the following: at vertical
Welding Welding
Table 1 load tests (6), at area C1÷C4 strain gages, on
free area area
horizontal direction. Because the limits of the static
Horizontal loads (σaH) 355 309 tests were exceeded, the commission formed from the
A 277 manufacture people and the testing team decides to
Vertical B 150
Class

offer a modified design of the area of superior door

loads (σaV1) C 133
D 110
case.
CONCLUZION
After consolidation of the superior door case, the
results obtain at the repeated tests was smaller than
static tests accepted limits.