PhD ThesisThe application of lightweight composite materials into the rail industry requires a stepwise
approach to ensure rail vehicle designs can make optimal use of the inherent properties of
each material. Traditionally, materials such as steel and aluminium have been used in railway
rolling stock to achieve the energy absorption and structural resistance demanded by
European rail standards. Adopting composite materials in primary structural roles requires an
innovative design approach which makes the best use of the available space within the rolling
stock design such that impact energies and loads are accommodated in a managed and
predictable manner.
This thesis describes the innovative design of a rail driver’s cab to meet crashworthiness and
structural requirements using lightweight, cost-effective composite materials. This takes the
application of composite materials in the rail industry beyond the current state-of-the-art and
delivers design solutions which are readily applicable across rolling stock categories. An
overview of crashworthiness with respect to the rail industry is presented, suitable composite
materials for incorporation into rolling stock designs are identified and a methodology to
reconfigure and enhance the space available within rail vehicles to meet energy absorption
requirements is provided.
To realise the application of composite materials, this body of work describes the pioneering
application of aluminium honeycomb to deliver unique solutions for rail vehicle energy
absorbers, as well as detailing the use of lightweight composite materials to react the
structural loads into the cab and carbody. To prove the capability of the design it is supported
by finite element analysis and the construction of a full-scale prototype cab which culminated
in the successful filing of two patents to protect the intellectual property of the resulting
design.The European Commission whose Framework 6 funded project “De-Light”
(Contract Number 031483) forms the basis of this work
