ALJOIN: Crashworthiness of joints in aluminium rail vehicles

• Unité de recherche: PCRD EU
• Numéro de projet: 02.0403
• Titre du projet anglais: ALJOIN: Crashworthiness of joints in aluminium rail vehicles

Mots-clé (Anglais)

Environmental Protection; Safety; Transport

Autre Numéro de projet (Anglais)

EU project number: G3RD-CT-2002-00829

Programme de recherche (Anglais)

EU-programme: 5. Frame Research Programme - 1.3.3 Land transport and marine technologies

Description succincte (Anglais)

See abstract

Résumé des résultats (Abstract) (Anglais)

Aluminium alloys are now in widespread use in Europe and elsewhere for rail vehicle construction. However, in recent collisions involving seam welded aluminium rail coaches, observation showed that some of the longitudinal seam welds had fractured for some metres beyond the zone of severe damage, the panels themselves generally being intact without significant distortion. The designer needs the data to assess this fracture phenomenon and be able to take appropriate measures. In addition for this requirement, there is a need for innovation in the use of new joining techniques and joint design concepts to improve the performance of the vehicles under severe conditions. ALJOIN alms to prove innovative aluminium welding technologies in the construction of new rail vehicles such as friction stir welding (FSW). ALJOIN will study and evaluate the use of alternative grades of aluminium alloys to contribute to the crashworthiness of the rail vehicles.

Références bases de données (Anglais)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 02.0403