To simplify construction, reduce weight and improve mechanical properties, a sandwich panel substitution process is performed on corrugated sheets in the floor and roof of a rail vehicle car body. A requirement based selection is used to design the sandwich panels with the corrugated sheet mechanical characteristics as boundaries. Car body stiffness is evaluated by modal analysis. The derived panels reduce the mass of the car body by 600–700 kg. Results show the varying importance of the longitudinal, transverse and shear properties of the floor and roof panels, as well as how efficient the corrugated sheets actually are.
WennbergD. A light weight car body for high-speed trains - literature study, Stockholm, Sweden: KTH, 2010. TRITA AVE 2010:16.
2.
AnderssonEBergMStichelS. Rail vehicle dynamics, Stockholm, Sweden: Division of Rail Vehicles, Department of Aeronautical and Vehicle Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 2007.
3.
KnuttonM. Bombardier develops ‘game-changing’ technology. Int Railway J2003; 43(5): 28–29.
4.
SeoSIKimJSChoSH. Development of a hybrid composite bodyshell for tilting trains. Proc IMechE, Part F: J Rail and Rapid Transit2008; 222(F1): 1–13.
5.
HarteAMMcNamaraJFRoddyID. A multilevel approach to the optimization of a composite light rail vehicle bodyshell. Comp Struct2004; 63: 447–453.
6.
KimJ-SKimN-PHanS-H. Optimal stiffness design of composite laminates for a train car body by an expert system and enumeration method. Comp Struct2005; 68: 147–156.
7.
ZinnoAFuscoEProtaA. Multiscale approach for the design of composite sandwich structures for train application. Comp Struct2010; 92: 2208–2219.
8.
HudsonCWCarruthersJJRobinsonAM. Multiple objective optimisation of composite sandwich structures for rail vehicle floor panels. Comp Struct2010; 92: 2077–2082.
9.
KimJ-SJeongJ-CLeeS-J. Numerical and experimental studies on the deformational behavior of a composite train car body of the Korean tilting train. Comp Struct2007; 81: 168–175.
10.
KimJ-SLeeS-JShinK-W. Manufacturing and structural safety evaluation of a composite train carbody. Comp Struct2007; 78: 468–476.
11.
AnderssonEBergM. Spårtrafiksystem och spårfordon, Del 2: Spårfordon, Stockholm, Sweden: Division of Rail Vehicles, Department of Aeronautical and Vehicle Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 2007.
12.
WennbergDWennhagePStichelS. Orthotropic models of corrugated sheets in finite element analysis. ISRN Mech Eng2011; 2011: 979532–979532.
13.
ZenkertD. An introduction to sandwich construction, Solihull, UK: Engineering Materials Advisory Services Ltd., EMAS, 1995.
ZenkertDBattleyM. Foundations of fibre composites. student edition, US-AB, Stockholm, Sweden, 2005.
18.
ErmolaevaNSCastroMBGKandacharPV. Material selection for an automotive structure by integrating structural optimization with environmental impact assessment. Material Design2004; 25(8): 689–698.
19.
Blanc I, Schwab P, Gomez M, Jolliet O, Ecabert B,Wakeman M et al. Towards the eco-design of a tilting train in Korea: applying life cycle assessment to design alternatives. In: SMIA Geneva, September 2005.
20.
HelmsHLambrechtU. The potential contribution of light-weighting to reduce transport energy consumption. Int J Life Cycle Assess2007. LCA Special 1; 58–64.
21.
DuouJRDe MoorJVerpoestI. Environmental impact analysis of composite use in car manufacturing. Manufact Tech2009; 58: 9–12.
