NTL Record

Title Full-Scale Rollover Test and Corresponding Analytical Modeling – Survivability of Top Fittings for CPC-1232 Tank Car
Record ID 74555
Personal Name
Creator
Trent, Robert; Prabhakaran, Anand; Gantoi, Florentina; Sharma, Vinaya
Corporate Creator Sharma & Associates, Inc.
Corporate
Contributor
United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Railroad Administration. Office of Railroad Policy and Development; United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Railroad Administration. Office of Research, Development and Technology
Publisher United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Railroad Administration
Publication Date 20200500
Language English
Abstract A full-scale rollover test was performed on a CPC-1232 tank car body to determine the survivability of the top fittings and provide a comparison to past tank car-type rollover tests. Dynamic simulations were performed prior to the test to determine appropriate test conditions and parameters. Pivoting the carbody in a fixture about a fixed axis controlled the test conditions. The test was designed so that the manway bonnet, the highest profile top fitting, impacted a concrete target pad at 7.8 mph. As a result of the impact, the manway bonnet sheared off at its fasteners, several fasteners securing the pressure plate cover failed, and the unloading/loading valves sheared off. This resulted in a lading release. Post-test, the analytical simulation was correlated against the test results. Researchers recommend that methods to avoid the “unzipping” failures of bolted connections be considered for future designs. Alternatively, the observed failure mechanism may be incorporated into the design/specification process.
Rosap ID dot:49339
Rosap URL https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/49339
TRT Terms Prototype tests; Fittings; Protection; Rollover crashes; Tank cars; Safety
General Subjects Full-scale testing; tank car safety; CPC-1232 car
Geographical
Coverage
United States
TRIS Online
Accession No
1741935
Report Number DOT/FRA/ORD-20/22
Resource type Tech Report
URL https://ntlrepository.blob.core.windows.net/lib/74000/74500/74555/DOT-FRA-ORD-20-22_20200529.pdf
Format PDF
Database NTL Digital Repository