The improved carrying structure of a passenger car for the appropriate strength in train ferry transportation

Abstract

The study deals with determination of the dynamic loading on passenger cars, which guarantees the safe train ferry transportation. A mathematical model, considering the angular displacements of a train ferry loaded with cars under rolling motion, was built. The calculation was made for a Mukran-type train ferry operating on the Baltic Sea. The study provides the determination of accelerations on the passenger car bodies, and also strength calculation of the carrying structure of a passenger car body. The authors established that the maximum equivalent stresses in the elements where the body contacted with the chain binders exceeded the admissible values. It required improvements of the carrying structure for a passenger car body to provide the needed strength in train ferry transportation.