Comparative analysis of fatigue strength of a freight wagon frame

Abstract

Freight wagons primarily consist of welded steel structures subjected to time varying loads. Therefore, fatigue associated with the welding process is a common failure mode. Several technical codes for fatigue assessment have been proposed, being DVS 1612–2014 and ERRI B 12/RP 60 two of the most used. Nevertheless, no clear correlation between both codes is yet found in the bibliography. To overcome this, the present paper develops a full comparison over a study case of a freight wagon frame model. Finite element method is used for the stress calculation based on loads according to UNE-EN 12663-2. Weld performances comply with UNE-EN 15085-3. Fatigue post-processing is carried in parallel using DVS and ERRI codes. Finally, fatigue results of both codes are compared at each element of the model and each weld type. The results obtained provide a complete overview of the influence on the fatigue design of choosing a specific technical code for fatigue assessment.