The transportation industry has for a long time been engaged in the application of new lightweight materials for primary structural design. The use of such materials is vital to achieving reductions in energy consumption and consequently to achieving reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. For instance, in aeronautics, where the weight of an aircraft is a critical factor for fuel consumption, composite materials are replacing metallic materials both structural and non-structural parts. The railway industry could also benefit from the use of lightweight structural materials. The weight savings associated with the use of these new materials would result in reduced power consumption, lower inertia, less track wear and the ability to carry greater pay-loads.

1. The next generation of lightweight
structural materials for railway
carbodies
Eduardo de la Guerra (Talgo)
WP3 Leader Roll2Rail
Compositi 4.0-3rd of May Torino

2. • Introduction
• Roll2Rail Project
• Roll2Rail: WP3 Carbodies
• Studies
• Conclusions
• Shift2Rail
• Open challenges
Index
vs

3. Introduction
• Current railway carbody structures close to the limit in
lightweight terms
– Steel or aluminium
• New concept lightweight structure Aircraft and automotive
industry (completely valid models for railway application?)

4. Introduction
• Reduce mass of
the structure
• Possibilities:
– High strength
alloys
– Composites
– Combinations
– …
Weight
reduction

5. IntroductionAlstom
BT
TTX
Voith

6. Introduction

7. Roll2Rail Project
Increase
capacity and
bring flexibility
to adapt
capacity to
demand
Increase
operational
reliability and
therefore
punctuality
Reduce the
LCC of
vehicles and
track
Increase the
energy
efficiency of
the system
Improve
passenger
comfort and
thus increase
attractiveness of
rail transport
The Roll2Rail project aims to develop key technologies and to remove already
identified blocking points for radical innovation in the field of railway vehicles, as
part of a longer term strategy to revolutionise the rolling stock for the future.
WP3 devoted to carbody shells
http://www.roll2rail.eu/

8. Roll2Rail: WP3 Carbodies
• WP3 aims
– Define the technical specification for the new
lightweight carbodies (HS and Urban application)
– Feasibilities/conceptual studies regarding
structural and adhesive joints taking into account
weight-saving potential
– Strategies for the acceptance of the new
lightweight carbodies

9. Studies
Baseline models defined for the studies

10. Studies
• Topology optimization (Optistruct)
– Geometric variations and derivatives
Reference model: 282mm door , 162mm window pillars widths
Modified model: 305mm door and window pillars
↓14% weight↓6% weight

11. Studies
• Design proposal for Urban
Embedded
Stiffener
Shear panel
Extruded profile
and AFS
Sandwich
and
Stiffeners

12. Studies

13. Studies
• Optimization regarding fibre orientation

14. Studies
Roof
Main frame

15. Studies
• Joints Analysis of the junction between main
frame and lateral panel
Load cases
- LC1: Maximum vertical load
- LC2: Overpressure(+6000Pa)
- LC3: Underpressure(-6000Pa)
- LC4: 1500kN compresion and vertical load
- LC5: 1000kN traction and vertical load

16. Studies• Joints
– Different concepts
– Adhesive bonding
LC2 UR LC2 DR LC3 DR
dominant
component
maximum
principal
dominant
component
maximum
principal
dominant
component
maximum
principal
Butt Joint 14.1 16.7 23.9 24.8 98.4 104
Lap Joint 15.3 17.1 25.6 26.7 95.8 103

17. Studies
• Detail design of subassemblies
Current solution
Proposal

18. Studies
• Static assessment and stiffness calculation
1st mode frequency 10.3 Hz
Riveting
Load Case Safety Factor
Exceptional 3.45
Fatigue 1.05
Laminate
Most critical Load Case 3gz
Maximum Failure Index 0.11
31% of weight saved

19. Conclusions
• Deliverables:
– D3.1 Technical Specification (PU)
– D3.2 Material assessment (CO)
– D3.3 Joining technologies (CO)
– D3.4 Final report (PU)
• Reduction around 20% in weight
• Optimization methodologies powerful tool
during design phase.

20. Conclusions
• Hybrid structures mixing material: high strength
alloys, aluminium, composites (carbon fibre).
Depending on location and functionality.
• Multifunctional materials are desired
• Necessary to develop joints and resins adapted to
railway applications.
• Out of autoclave technologies (↓cost).

21. Shift2Rail
• The WP3 of Roll2Rail are aligned with the expected
achievements of the TD1.3 Carbodyshell of Shift2Rail:
– Weight reduction between 15 and 30%.
– Energy savings in operation, resulting from the weight reduction.
– Improvement of maintainability, coming from new concepts.
• Demonstrator up to TRL7 in High Speed will be developed to
test the concepts (2022)

22. Open challenges
• Existing gaps regarding standandization usiTowards a REgulatory FRamework for
the usE of Structural new materials in railway passenger and
freight CarbOdyshells (http://www.refresco-project.eu/)
• Fire, smoke and toxicity (EN 45545). Few composite available complying 100%
FST requirements (mainly resins).
• Electromagnetic compatibility. Changing the materials of the structure modifies
the response of the EM field.
• Structural an crashworthiness requirements (EN 12663 and EN 15227). Only
metals is considered until now for fatigue and crash assessment.
• Joints. Standard gap in railway industry regarding design, manufacture and
acceptance criteria regarding joints (multi-material or composites joints).
• Reparability and maintainability. Define new strategies.
• KPI at railway level

23. Eduardo de la Guerra
Patentes Talgo
Paseo del tren Talgo, 2
28290 Las Matas – Madrid (Spain)
@ edelaguerra@talgo.com