Analytical and Measured Effects of Short and Heavy Rail Cars on Railway Bridges in the USA
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Modeling and Analysis of a Steel Railroad Bridge
2.1. Current Design of Railroad Bridges in North America
2.2. Modeling and Analysis of a Steel Railroad Bridge Using FEM Model
2.3. Description of Tested and Analyzed Bridges
3. Results of Case Studies
3.1. Riveted Truss Spans
3.1.1. FEM Modeling and Analysis of Truss Bridge
3.1.2. Results from Test of Truss Bridge
3.2. Riveted DPG Spans
3.2.1. FEM Modeling and Analysis of DPG Bridge
3.2.2. Results from Test of DPG Bridge
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
- Short railcars caused a 30% increase in stress in both the top and bottom chords of the 33.5-m (110-ft) truss span. The end post experienced a 26% stress increase due to short railcars.
- The 12.8-m (42-ft) short railcars produced maximum live load stresses of 22 and 26% higher than 16.2-m (53-ft) common length railcars at mid-span locations of the 34.7 m (113-ft, 10-in.) girder and 35-m (115-ft) girder, respectively.
- The considered members in trusses and the location on the riveted steel DPG span govern the overall load capacity of the bridge, so shipments of multiple car blocks of short railcars should be carefully planned.
- Stringers of the 61-m (200-ft) span did not experience any increase in stresses due to short railcars. However, the stringers experienced full unloading as the train traversed, and therefore, they can be more susceptible to fatigue.
- Bridge load capacity ratings and railway operating restrictions need to consider railcar length in addition to railcar weight.
- Shorter rail cars can limit the carload capacity of a bridge due to increased load on a span.
- Longer rail cars can shorten the fatigue life of a bridge due to larger stress ranges caused by greater unloading between axles.
- The ratio of rail car length to span length is a key parameter.
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
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Bottom Chords and Diagonals | Top Chords and End Posts | |
---|---|---|
Scheme of the cross-section | ||
61 m truss members | Bottom Chord L0L2: 4Ls 6 × 4 × 1/2 2Pls 2 × 7/16 | Upper Chords U1U3, U3U3: 2Ls 4 × 4 × 1/2 2Ls 6 × 4 × 1/2 1 Cov. Pl 27 × 5/8 2 Web Pls 24 × 5/8 |
Bottom Chord L2L4 4Ls 6 × 4 × 5/8 2Pls 24 × 5/8 | ||
Diagonal U1L2: 4Ls 6 × 4× 1/2 2Pls 18 × 3/4 | Diagonal L0U1: 2Ls 4 × 4 × 5/8 2Ls 6 × 4 × 5/8 1 Cov. Pl 27 × 5/8 2 Web Pls 24 × 3/4 | |
Diagonal L2U3: 4Ls 4 × 4 × 5/8 2Pls 18 × 1/2 | ||
Diagonal U3L4 4Ls 4 × 4 × 3/8 2Pls 18 × 1/2 | ||
33.5 m truss members | Bottom Chord L0L2: 4Ls 4 × 4 × 3/8 2 Pls 18 × 3/8 | Upper Chords U1U3: 4Ls 4 × 4× 3/8 1 Cov. Pl 24 × 1/2 2 Web Pls 18 × 3/8 |
Diagonal U1L2: 2 Cs [email protected] | Diagonal L0U1: 4Ls 4 × 4 × 3/8 1 Cov. Pl 24 × 1/2 2 Web Pls 18 × 1/2 |
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Rakoczy, A.M.; Otter, D.E.; Dick, S.M. Analytical and Measured Effects of Short and Heavy Rail Cars on Railway Bridges in the USA. Appl. Sci. 2021, 11, 3126. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11073126
Rakoczy AM, Otter DE, Dick SM. Analytical and Measured Effects of Short and Heavy Rail Cars on Railway Bridges in the USA. Applied Sciences. 2021; 11(7):3126. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11073126
Chicago/Turabian StyleRakoczy, Anna M., Duane E. Otter, and Stephen M. Dick. 2021. "Analytical and Measured Effects of Short and Heavy Rail Cars on Railway Bridges in the USA" Applied Sciences 11, no. 7: 3126. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11073126