PSI - Issue 59

J. Gerlici et al. / Procedia Structural Integrity 59 (2024) 66–73 Juraj Gerlici et al. / Structural Integrity Procedia 00 (2023) 000 – 000

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1. Introduction One of the main factors of the sustainable development of the country is the efficiency of transport infrastructure, the most important component of which has been rail transport. At the same time, a crucial role in the operation of railway transport is played by rolling stock (Marczuk et al., 2019). It is known that the most common wagon type in operation is the open wagon. The peculiarity of this wagon type is that it is roofless. These wagons are frequently used for transportation of freight that does not need protection from atmospheric precipitation. If necessary, open wagons can be equipped with detachable roofs or protective awnings, thus expanding the range of goods transported. An analysis of the technical condition of open wagon bodies in operation has shown that one of the most vulnerable elements is the sidewall panelling (Fig. 1). a b

Fig. 1. Damage to the panelling of an open wagon body (a) separated from the corner post (b) separated from the low cord

The damage to the panelling can be caused by loading and unloading operations, or by the compliance of freight transported. The own degree of freedom of the freight transported can be explained by its unreliable fastening in the body or its characteristics. This may require not only unscheduled repair, but also jeopardise the safety of the wagon as part of a train. In this regard, it is important to develop and implement solutions aimed at reducing the load of the open wagon body in operation. The issues of improving the open wagon bodies are quite relevant and important, which is confirmed by a large number of scientific publications in this field. For example, the authors in studies by Płaczek et al. (2016) and Hyun Ah Lee et al. (2016) propose the use of sandwich panels for the sidewalls of wagon bodies in order to reduce the dynamic load. This solution was substantiated by the corresponding strength calculation for the body using the finite element method. At the same time, while determining the dynamic load of the body with sandwich panelling, the authors did not determine the parameters of the panels. Study by Wrobel et al. (2016) gives the rationale for the introduction of composite panelling for sidewalls. These panels provide a reduced tare weight of the wagon body, and also help to increase its endurance. The results of the research have scientifically substantiated the efficiency of this solution. However, the authors did not determine the dynamic load of the improved open wagon body. The structural features of an improved open wagon with side walls made of articulated shells are discussed in article by Fomin et al. (2021). In this case, the load-bearing elements of the wagon body were made of round pipes, and foam aluminium was used as an energy-absorbing material in the structure. The rationale for such a structural improvement of the wagon was confirmed by mathematical and computer modelling of the longitudinal loading. The calculation also included a collision of the wagon to the automatic coupler with a force of 3.5 MN during shunting