Train passenger car floor panel testing using digital image correlation and strain gauges and comparison with finite element modelling

Weight reduction of passenger railway cars is a recurrent concern, driven by increasing efficiency objectives. The work presented here is part of a project aiming at developing a new solution for a train passenger car floor panel. A design was proposed and an experimental programme sets forth to evaluate its feasibility. Small coupon testing was performed to assess the selected joining processes. A structural detail was also studied for static and fatigue loading in order to evaluate failure modes and locations. A prototype of the structure was built and tested in 3-point bending using electrical strain gauges and digital image correlation. A numerical model of the prototype was built in order to estimate loads during testing and for benchmarking purposes.