Impact Resistance of Fibre Reinforced Composite Railway Freight Tank Wagons

The use of fibre reinforced composite materials is one method by which the lightweighting rail vehicles can be achieved. However, issue impact damage, amongst other challenges, limits their safety certification. This accentuated high levels loading a vehicle may subjected to during service. paper addresses significance pre-tension on large structures, specifically for redesign pressure vessel freight tank wagon. Preloading was determined detrimental overall resistance vessel. At 15.71 J energy, there 22% increase in mean absorbed energy uniaxially loaded panel over an unloaded panel. only 4% difference penetration depth between uniaxial and biaxial loading. A novel finding from these results that effects preloading are more profound if does not act parallel principal direction. Matrix cracking delaminations most common failure modes observed specimens under low-velocity intensified preload.