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COO EHZT Guideline confidential Bombardier

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12.03.2020 Thomas Fecske General crash requirements released

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for energy absorbing
12.03.2020 Christian Rittmeier systems 3EGH000008-3331
Approved File name Revision Language Pages

12.03.2020 Robert Winning 3EGH000008-3331_--C_EN.DOCX _C en 1/5

Robert Winning Also available in
2020.03.19 14:35:59 Z
de
Thomas Fecske
2020.03.12 15:36:46 +01'00'

Christian Rittmeier
2020.03.12 15:58:39 +01'00'

General crash requirements

for energy absorbing systems

We reserve all rights in this document and in the information contained therein. Reproduction, use or disclosure to third parties without express authority is strictly
forbidden. © 2018, Bombardier Inc., all rights reserved.
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Revisions

Revision index Datum Chapter Remark

__ 22.08.2013 Initial revision
_A 30.01.2015 Refinement of the general requirements
_B 03.04.2018 Modification of document title
Refinement of the general requirements
_C 12.03.2020 Modification of document title
Refinement of the general requirements
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1. Scope

The purpose of this document is to supplement the requirements of EN15227 for energy absorbing systems for
any vehicle category and for shear-out systems without energy absorption.
Where additional crash safety standards are applicable (e.g. for UK, North America), these crash safety require-
ments shall be considered. Such requirements are outside the scope of this document and shall form part of the
relevant energy absorbing system specification.
Requirements relating to recoverable energy absorbing systems for shunting are outside the scope of this doc-
ument.

2. General requirements

Energy absorbing systems shall be validated against EN15227 Section 7 validation requirements for the com-
plete energy absorbing system assembly (e.g. full coupler assembly, full articulation joint assembly, …).

Sub-component (e.g. deformation tube only) tests are not recommended and shall only be permissible where
the full system has been previously validated in accordance with EN15227 Section 7 validation requirement and
where the deformation force levels and geometries are equal or less critical than the system for which the vali-
dation has already been performed.

The supplier of the energy absorbing systems shall demonstrate controlled absorption of the required energy
level.

Where dynamic tests are required in accordance with EN15227 Section 7, the supplier shall perform the follow-
ing:

For crash absorbers/buffers (with or without anti-climbing devices):

a) a dynamic axial validation test without initial vertical offset (for validation of the force stroke charac-
teristic).

and

b) a dynamic axial validation test with an initial vertical offset of minimum 40 mm (for validation of the
anti-climbing functionality and global stability).

For articulated joints:

A dynamic axial validation test (for validation of the force stroke characteristic and global stability).

For front and intermediate couplers (independent on coupler type, e.g. auto, semi-permanent etc.):

A dynamic axial validation test with an initial vertical offset of minimum 40 mm (for validation of force
stroke characteristic and global stability).

For shear-out systems without energy absorption:

Validation of the correct shear-out functionality under all required conditions defined in the relevant sys-
tem specification.

Where a reduced validation program in accordance with EN15227 Section 7 is applicable, the supplier shall
perform the following validation activities as a minimum for all energy absorbing systems:

a) A quasi-static validation test with complete energy absorbing system assembly (for validation of
force stroke characteristic and global stability)

or if the global system stability has been previously validated

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b) A quasi-static validation test of the energy absorbing sub-component(s) (for validation of force stroke
characteristic).

or if the global system stability and force stroke characteristic has been previously validated

c) Demonstrate that the validation evidence proposed for reuse fulfils the following criteria:

• The requirements of EN15227 and Section 2 of this document are fulfilled.

• The validation tests have been evaluated according to Section 3 of this document.
• The test results (including raw measured data) are made available to BT in digital format.

For energy absorbing systems designed with an increased force level at the end of the energy absorbing stroke
due to shear-out or similar functionality (e.g. for front couplers, intermediate couplers, …) the following require-
ments shall be fulfilled:

• The increased force level shall be within the specified total stroke length.
• It shall be demonstrated that the energy absorbing stroke (excluding the end portion with the increased
force level) shall be fully utilised in all energy absorbing sub-components within the system, before one
of the systems shears out. Influences due to the defined tolerances shall be considered.

During energy absorption, no structural damage or cracks shall be acceptable unless such behaviour serves the
system’s designed functionality (via visual inspection).

Energy absorbing systems with anti-climbing functionality (e.g. serrated anti-climbing devices, intermediate cou-
plers between vehicles with movement constraint, …), located at any vehicle end, shall resist a total climbing
load of 150 kN acting upward or downward without significant plastic deformation (proven by simulation or vali-
dation test). Load application location shall depend on the type of system and shall be agreed with BT.

The supplier shall demonstrate that all requirements are fulfilled at the lowest possible temperature in operational
conditions. This temperature is specified in the system specification.

For all production series all system characteristics shall be reproducible and guaranteed. It shall be ensured that
the normative tolerances of the various material characteristics are maintained.

Energy absorbing systems shall include an outside visible marking/release indicator to identify the activation of
any irreversible deformation/energy absorption. The exact position shall be agreed with BT. This requirement
may be applicable to some shear-out systems.

The technical drawing of an energy absorbing system shall indicate:

• the specified irreversible stroke including the tolerance. The tolerance for this stroke shall be +/-1% and
not greater than +/-3mm. Deviating technically necessary tolerances shall be agreed with BT.
• the required space behind the mounting plane for energy absorption. For systems with shear-out func-
tionality the total space shall be indicated (including space for zero-force movement after shear-out).

3. Evaluation of test results

The following requirements shall be fulfilled for the measured validation force stroke characteristic curves:

For all energy absorbing systems:

• Recoverable parts of the force stroke curve, serving for elastic buffering, shall not be considered in the
evaluation.

• Maximum deviation of measured mean force value shall be +/-7,5%, evaluated separately for all nominal
stroke stages (e.g. for constant or variable force characteristics).
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• Maximum deviation of the measured force stroke characteristic from the nominal force stroke character-
istic shall be +/-20% using a moving average1 with a sliding window width of 50 mm. The moving average
shall be applied to the complete curves (nominal and measured), independent of the force characteristic
(constant or variable). Higher deviations at the start of the deformation stroke are allowed if it is induced
by the trigger force peak or if the measured force stroke curve starts with the force equal to zero. Any
other technically necessary higher deviations shall be agreed with BT.

For shear-out systems:

• Maximum deviation of shear-out force shall be +/-7,5%

The frequency filtering of the test data (time-dependent curves) with a 180Hz low-pass filter or with higher filter
frequency is allowed.

4. Deliverables:

• CAD-geometry in CATIA-Format (or STEP or IGES)

• Technical drawing (incl. part list)

• Calculation/test report to demonstrate compliance to the total climbing load of 150 kN acting upward or
downward without significant plastic deformation (if applicable)

• Validation documentation demonstrating compliance to all applicable requirements according to the spec-
ifications outlined within this document, including:

o Diagram of the measured force time and measured force stroke curve for each test

o For validation of force stroke characteristic to the requirements of Section 3, diagrams demonstrating
the nominal and measured force stroke curve including the mean force values and the related upper
and lower tolerance boundaries, as defined in Section 3

o For validation of force stroke characteristic to the requirements of Section 3, diagrams demonstrating
the nominal and measured force stroke curve including moving average force stroke curve and the
related upper and lower tolerance boundaries, as defined in Section 3

o Statement of the energy level absorbed for each test (evaluated from measured force stroke curve)

o Validation report demonstrating correct functionality of the shear-out system including the upper and
lower tolerance boundaries, as defined in Section 3, for the specified shear-out force level

• Test data in digital format (e.g.: Excel, Text, ...)

• Digital video file(s) from a high-speed camera (for dynamic validation tests only)

• Supplier statement about the reproducibility of all required system characteristics for all production series
(e.g. supplier quality control procedure)

1
The moving average shall be applied with full window width of 50 mm. That means, that a central moving average result
curve with a window width of 50 mm starts at 25 mm and ends 25 mm before the maximum tested stroke.