Addis Ababa University

Addis Ababa Institute of Technology,

African Railway Center of Excellence (ARCE), Ethiopia

MSc in Railway Engineering

(Rolling stock)
Rail vehicle deign
Group Assignment
Railway Vehicle Design Project -1

By 1. Bethel Lemma Id No GSR/0418/14

2.Eyuel Mulugeta Id No GSR/2402/14
Chapter One

1: Introduction
This research Design work emphasis on analyzing, evaluating if possible improving the performance of
Helical coil spring suspension system of a typical Box wagons of EDR trains made up of steel material. This
design of suspension system carried out through Autodesk Inventor for an existing suspension system of a
freight car then the Finite Element Analysis carried out using Ansys software applying maximum design
tare and pay loads then structural analysis have been carried out to determine the total deformation, stress
and strain of the suspension at static conditions.
Analysis results concludes that steel is an optimal material for Helical coil springs that was less deformed,
less stressed and is safer than other materials on applied loads.
All measurements are taken from model PW2 box wagons of Ethio-Djibouti rail ways

Figure 1 Secondary suspension for PW2 box wagons of Ethio-Djibouti rail ways
1.1 Definition of key terms

 Freight train: also called goods (cargo) trains are train that are used to transport goods but not
passenger
 Secondary suspension: In freight trains connects the body attached bolster of the car with the
material side frame of the bogie to resist the shock caused by the wheels on the bogie frame and body
also called bolster springs.
Springs: an elastic body whose functions are to distort when loaded and recover to original shape when
the load is removed. In our case its primary applications is to absorb shock or vibrational energy in railway
buffers from the wheel.
Spring types
1. Helical Springs (Compression and Tension)
2. Conical and Volute Springs
3. Torsional Springs (Helical or Spiral)
4. Laminated or Leaf Springs
5. Disc or Belleville springs
6. Special purpose springs.
1.2 Train suspension springs: the main difference in in size and arrangement of suspensions between
passengers, locomotive and freight secondary suspensions is due the bogie type either it is three axle or two,
safety and comfort requirements in this case passenger couches needs more attention than freight as well
as type and size of load applied
1.3 Components of secondary suspension for fright wagons The springs are under the bolster to absorb
the shock caused by the wheels that affected the bogie frames

figure 2, 3 and 4 The components of fright secondary(bolster) spring suspension

1.4 Properties of material for Helical coil spring
Springs are made of an elastic material, shaped in form of helix. The material (wire) of a coil spring should
have the following properties depend up on the service they are used severe average or light
 High fatigue strength
 High ductility
 High resilience
 Creep resistant
They are subjected to torsion under stress or compression. The properties of the springs thus depend on
the shear modulus. The coil springs can also be used as torsion springs, where in this case, the entire
spring is subjected to torsion about its helical axis. In this case, bending moment is caused around, that
either increases or reduces the helical radius, where now Young’s modulus comes into the act to determine
characteristics of the springs. When such properties are considered on designing springs, material
characters play a major role in it. Conventionally used materials for the springs are leads to failures when
springs are subjected to such heavy loads.
The springs are mostly made from oil tampered carbon Steel wires containing 0.6% to 0.7% carbon and
0.6% to 1% manganese. Nonferrous materials like phosphorus, Bronze, Beryllium, Copper, Brass may use
to increase fatigue resistance, temperature resistance and corrosion resistance. Titanium alloys and steels
are conventionally used materials for coil spring suspension, having better material properties. heavy stress
at low mass also leads to failure of springs. Hence this paper aims in investigating deformation, stress and
strain for structural steel material for helical coil springs at static loading conditions.

Table 1 Properties of material

Chapter two
2.1 Design of suspension (Compression helical Spring)
2.1 Terms used in spring
Solid length: when the compression spring is compressed until the coil comes in contact with each other
than the spring is said to be solid.
Solid length of the spring Ls: = n'd
Where n': total number of coil
d: diameter of wire

Fig 5 Schematic diagram for spring parameters

2.2 Design methodology

2.2.1 Design process and parameter

The design of suspension has been carried out with the help of AUTOCAD, a computer aided design
software and ANSYS with is use among many engineers. The secondary suspension system design is to
be compare the existing design to a new design which can make a good outcome than the other one.
Here, will take 2 case where the first one is model that already been used and the 2nd one will be a new
design that we use to compare the too.
Fig 6 Spring CAD designs of the existing and new one

2.2.2 Detail design parameters and Geometry

The detail design parameter of an existing freight secondary suspension specifications is seen in the
figure below

First step: is try to understand the exist parameter to form a better design and the next step is to find
some variable that we can see and manipulate for better design so that, the change in parameter can
add some value.

So as you can see from the figure above there is a height and diameter difference which are visible even
for our eyes which gave us the idea to control those two parameters and see the outcome. Therefore,
our new design parameters are as shown in the figure below.
 Material Data Existing Material New Material
Material type Structural Steel Structural Steel
Compressive Yield 250 MPa 250 MPa
Strength
Tensile Yield Strength 250 MPa 250 MPa
Tensile Ultimate Strength 460 MPa 460 MPa
Density 7.85e-009 tonne mm^-3
Table material properties

Parameter Existing Material New Material

outer diameter(left & right) 135mm 140mm
inner diameter(left & right) 85mm 97mm
outer diameter(middle) 134mm 134mm
inner diameter(middle) 87mm 87mm
Height (left & right) 252mm 252mm
Height (middle) 220mm 252mm
Number of Turns(for all) 6 6
Applied load(for all) 3950N 3950N
Freight weight 95.2t 95.2t

Table parameter properties

2.2 3D model and Finite Element Analysis(FEM)

The 3D model for both design is analysis by a software called ANSYS 2020 R2 which delivers the
engineering simulation and embedded software, high-performance computing(HPC) resources and
platform solutions that we need to efficiently collaborate and innovate also accelerate innovation by
harnessing new workflows and dynamic capabilities across ANSYS’ solution.
Figure

Comparing the two design by using the three fatigue tool which are life cycles, damage, and safety
factor

Figure on the left are the existing that is generated by Ansys and figure on the right are the new design
results
Figure Existing output result Figure New output result

COMPARSION Existing design New design

PARMETER(UNIT)
value value
DAMGE(CYCLE) max(47815) max(7830.1)
LIFE CYCLE(CYCLE) min(20914) min(20914)
SAFTEY DESIGN FACTOR 0.40774 0.6682

Conclusion

Referencing to the output generated Ansys we will compare the safety factor which is at the standard is
to be between one and two, if the value is less than one it means the material is failure but if the value is
more the two the material is very much safe but it isn't recommended in regard of cost wise therefore
we have work on our variable to make it safer to be use efficiently.

Seen the data output safety factor for the existing it is 0.48 which is not acceptable and which can be
concluded that it is a failure consequently the new design shows some kind of improvement but still it is
in the range of failure which is also not recommended to be used in real time.

The life cycle is minimum of 20914 cycles which means that the material can with stand or can last a
repeated impact of this minimum value. Some concept goes to the new design.

The damage is maximum value of 47815 cycles. this value of the existing is telling that it will damage at
that value and also for the amended design 7830.1.

Hypothesis of the failure point is that the material we used is structure steel and the diameter is taken
by human being measuring in real time which can lead to error.