Role of Polymer Composites in Railway Sector: An Overview

Main Article Content

Praveenkumara Jagadeesh
Madhu Puttegowda
Sanjay Mavinkere Rangappa
Suchart Siengchin

Abstract

The composite materials, which have a high strength-to-weight ratio, are preferred for designing complex and light structures in various industries. Especially in the railway sector, the composites with lightweight property and flexibility in designs cause an increment in fuel efficiency and cost-effectiveness on overall rail vehicle developments. The fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites meet the above requirements and are used in the production of rail components, such as bogie frames, floor materials, sleepers, switches, crossings, and other internal parts. These FRPs are good replacements for existing metal-based components interns of durability, high stiffness, and corrosion resistance. This review gives an overview of polymer composite's role in the railway sector for various applications and outlines the previous research works done on railway vehicles using FRP composites. This review will be beneficial for researchers to overcome all challenges in the railway sector and promotes new developments.

Article Details

How to Cite
Jagadeesh, P., Puttegowda, M., Rangappa, S. M., & Siengchin, S. (2022). Role of Polymer Composites in Railway Sector: An Overview. Applied Science and Engineering Progress, 15(2), 5745. https://doi.org/10.14416/j.asep.2022.02.005
Section
Review Articles

References

P. Jagadeesh, M. Puttegowda, S. M. Rangappa, and S. Siengchin, “A review on extraction, chemical treatment, characterization of natural fibers and its composites for potential applications,” Polymer Composites, vol. 42, no.12, pp. 6239– 6264, Sep. 2021.

D. K. Rajak, D. D. Pagar, R. Kumar, and C. Pruncu, “Recent progress of reinforcement materials: A comprehensive overview of composite materials,” Journal of Materials Research and Technology, vol. 8, no. 6, pp. 6354–6374, Nov. 2019.

P. Jagadeesh, M. Puttegowda, Y. G. T. Girijappa, S. M. Rangappa, M. K. Gupta, and S. Siengchin, “Mechanical, electrical and thermal behaviour of additively manufactured thermoplastic composites for high performance applications,” in Additive and Subtractive Manufacturing of Composites, S. M. Rangappa, M. K. Gupta, S. Siengchin, and Q. Song, Eds., Singapore: Springer, 2021, pp. 167–199.

K. N. Bharath, P. Madhu, T. Y. Gowda, A. Verma, S. M. Rangappa, and S. Siengchin, “Mechanical and chemical properties evaluation of sheep wool fiber–reinforced vinylester and polyester composites,” Materials Performance and Characterization, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 99–109, Mar. 2021.

S. Rastogi, A. Verma, and V. K. Singh, “Experimental response of nonwoven waste cellulose fabric-reinforced epoxy composites for high toughness and coating applications,” Materials Performance and Characterization, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 151–172, Apr. 2021.

S. Jothibasu, S. Mohanamurugan, R. Vijay, D. L. Singaravelu, A. Vinod, and S. M. Rangappa, “Investigation on the mechanical behavior of areca sheath fibers/jute fibers/glass fabrics reinforced hybrid composite for light weight applications,” Journal of Industrial Textiles, vol. 49, no. 8, pp. 1036–1060, Mar. 2020.

A. Vinod, J. Tengsuthiwat, Y. Gowda, R. Vijay, S. M. Rangappa, S. Siengchin, and H. N. Dhakal, “Jute/Hemp bio-epoxy hybrid bio-composites: Influence of stacking sequence on adhesion of fiber-matrix,” International Journal of Adhesion and Adhesives, vol. 113, Mar. 2022, Art. no. 103050,

K. N. Bharath, P. Madhu, T. G. Gowda, A. Verma, S. M. Rangappa, and S. Siengchin, “A novel approach for development of printed circuit board from biofiber based composites,” Polymer Composites, vol. 41, no. 11, pp. 4550–4558, Nov. 2020.

M. Z. Naser, R. A. Hawileh, and J. A. Abdalla, “Fiber-reinforced polymer composites in strengthening reinforced concrete structures: A critical review,” Engineering Structures, vol. 198, Nov. 2019, Art. no. 109542.

X. Tang and X. Yan, “A review on the damping properties of fiber reinforced polymer composites,” Journal of Industrial Textiles, vol. 49, no. 6, pp. 693–721, Jan. 2020.

P. Jagadeesh, Y. G. T. Girijappa, M. Puttegowda, S. M. Rangappa, and S. Siengchin, “Effect of natural filler materials on fiber reinforced hybrid polymer composites: An overview,” Journal of Natural Fibers, Dec. 2020, doi: 10.1080/15440478.2020.1854145.

J. Praveenkumara, P. Madhu, T. G. Yashas Gowda, S. M. Rangappa, and S. Siengchin, “A comprehensive review on the effect of synthetic filler materials on fiber-reinforced hybrid polymer composites,” Journal of Industrial Textiles, Apr. 2021, doi: 10.1080/00405000.2021.1920151.

C. E. Bakis, L. C. Bank, V. Brown, E. Cosenza, J. F. Davalos, J. J. Lesko, and T. C. Triantafillou, “Fiber-reinforced polymer composites for construction-State-of-the-art review,” Journal of Composites for Construction, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 73– 87, May 2002.

S. S. Choobbor, R. A. Hawileh, A. Abu-Obeidah, and J. A. Abdalla, “Performance of hybrid carbon and basalt FRP sheets in strengthening concrete beams in flexure,” Composite Structures, vol. 227, Nov. 2019, Art. no. 111337.

P. Jagadeesh, M. Puttegowda, S. M. Rangappa, and S. Siengchin, “Influence of nanofillers on biodegradable composites: A comprehensive review,” Polymer Composites, vol. 42, no. 11, pp. 5691–5711, Sep. 2021.

S. Gharde and B. Kandasubramanian, “Mechanothermal and chemical recycling methodologies for the fibre reinforced plastic (FRP),” Environmental Technology & Innovation, vol. 14, May 2019, Art. no. 100311.

J. Zhang, V. S. Chevali, H. Wang, and C. H. Wang, “Current status of carbon fibre and carbon fibre composites recycling,” Composites Part B: Engineering, vol. 193, Jul. 2020, Art. no. 108053.

P. Jagadeesh, V. S. Ningappa, M. Puttegowda, Y. G. Girijappa, S. M. Rangappa, M. R. Khan, I. Khan, and S. Siengchin, “Pongamia pinnata shell powder filled sisal/kevlar hybrid composites: Physicomechanical and morphological characteristics,” Polymer Composites, vol. 42, no. 9, pp. 4434–4447, Sep. 2021.

S. S. Ding, Q. Li, A. Q. Tian, J. Du, and J. L. Liu, “Aerodynamic design on high-speed trains,” Acta Mechanica Sinica, vol. 32, no. 2, pp. 215–232, Apr. 2016.

A. Manalo and T. Aravinthan, “Behavior of full-scale railway turnout sleepers from gluelaminated fiber composite sandwich structures,” Journal of Composites for Construction, vol. 16, no. 6, pp. 724–736, December 2012.

P. J. Mistry, M. S. Johnson, and U. I. K. Galappaththi, “Selection and ranking of rail vehicle components for optimal lightweighting using composite materials,” Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part F: Journal of Rail and Rapid Transit, vol. 235, no. 3, pp. 390–402, Mar. 2021.

M. Robinson, J. Carruthers, C. O’Neill, S. Ingleton, and M. Grasso, “Transport of DE-LIGHT: The design and prototyping of a lightweight crashworthy rail vehicle driver's cab,” Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, vol. 48, pp. 672–681, Jan. 2012.

J. S. Goo, J. S. Kim, and K. B. Shin, “Evaluation of structural integrity after ballast-flying impact damage of a GFRP lightweight bogie frame for railway vehicles,” Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology, vol. 29, no. 6, pp. 2349–2356, Jun. 2015.

A. A. Khalil, “Mechanical testing of innovated composite polymer material for using in manufacture of railway sleepers,” Journal of Polymers and the Environment, vol. 26, no.1, pp. 263–274, Jan. 2018.

P. Heller, J. Korinek, and L. Triska, “Hybrid body of underground railway car: Path towards reduced weight of rail vehicles,” MM Science Journal, pp. 631–634, Oct. 2015.

Y. C. Ku, H. I. Park, M. H. Kwak, and D. H. Lee, “Multi-objective optimization of high-speed train nose shape using the vehicle modeling function,” in 48th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting Including the New Horizons Forum and Aerospace Exposition, 2010, doi: 10.2514/6.2010-1501.

J. Lee and J. Kim, “Approximate optimization of high-speed train nose shape for reducing micropressure wave,” Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization, vol. 35, no. 1, pp. 79–87, Jan. 2008.

A. Zinno, E. Fusco, A. Prota, and G. Manfredi, “Multiscale approach for the design of composite sandwich structures for train application,” Composite Structures, vol. 92, no. 9, pp. 2208– 2219, Aug. 2010.

J. S. Kim, S. J. Lee, and K. B. Shin, “Manufacturing and structural safety evaluation of a composite train carbody,” Composite Structures, vol. 78, no. 4, pp. 468–476, Jun. 2007.

C. Zhu, J. Li, F. Ji, X. Yi, C. Rudd, and X. Liu, “Sandwich structure composite with expandable graphite filled or coated: Evaluation of flame retardancy and mechanical performances,” Open Journal of Safety Science and Technology, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 7–21, Jan. 2019.

S. Alotaibi, M. Quddus, C. Morton, and M. Imprialou, “Transport investment, railway accessibility and their dynamic impacts on regional economic growth,” Research in Transportation Business & Management, Sep. 2021, Art. no. 100702, doi: 10.1016/j.rtbm.2021.100702.

S. Xiao, H. Lin, S. Q. Shi, and L. Cai, “Optimum processing parameters for wood-bamboo hybrid composite sleepers,” Journal of Reinforced Plastics and Composites, vol. 33, no. 21, pp. 2010– 2018, Nov. 2014.

K. A. Soehardjo and A. Basuki, “Utilization of bagasse and coconut fibers waste as fillers of sandwich composite for bridge railway sleepers,” in IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, vol. 223, no. 1, Jul. 2017, Art. no. 012036.

K. W. Jeon, K. B. Shin, and J. S. Kim, “A study on evaluation of fatigue strength of a GFRP composite bogie frame for urban subway vehicles,” Advanced Composite Materials, vol. 22, no. 4, pp. 213–225, Aug. 2013.

J. Hou and G. Jeronimidis, “A novel bogie design made of glass fibre reinforced plastic,” Materials & Design, vol. 37, pp. 1–7, May 2012.

J. Chvojana and J. Vaclavika, “Experimental methods for the GRP bogie structure integrity assessment,” Procedia Engineering, vol. 114, pp. 627–634, Jan. 2015.

K. Yao, Y. Yang, H. Li, X. Liu, H. Lei, H. Fan, and D. Fang, “Material characterization of a multi-cavity composite structure for the bogie frame of urban maglev train,” Composites Part B: Engineering, vol. 99, pp. 277–287, Aug. 2016.

A. Manalo and T. Aravinthan, “Behavior of full-scale railway turnout sleepers from gluelaminated fiber composite sandwich structures,” Journal of Composites for Construction, vol. 16, no. 6, pp. 724–736, Dec. 2012.

V. A. Gerard and M. Mckay, “Recent Australian developments in fibre composite railway sleepers,” Electronic Journal of Structural Engineering, vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 62–66, Jan. 2013.

E. A. Silva, D. Pokropski, R. You, and S. Kaewunruen, “Comparison of structural design methods for railway composites and plastic sleepers and bearers,” Australian Journal of Structural Engineering, vol. 18, no. 3, pp. 160–177, Jul. 2017.

F. Çeçen and B. Aktaş, “Modal and harmonic response analysis of new CFRP laminate reinforced concrete railway sleepers,” Engineering Failure Analysis, vol. 127, Sep. 2021, Art. no. 105471.

J. S. Kim and H. J. Yoon, “Structural behaviors of a GFRP composite bogie frame for urban subway trains under critical load conditions,” Procedia Engineering, vol. 10, pp. 2375–2380, Jan. 2011.

K. B. Shin and S. H. Hahn, “Evaluation of the structural integrity of hybrid railway carriage structures including the ageing effects of composite materials,” Composite Structures, vol. 68, no. 2, pp. 129–137, Apr. 2005.

J. S. Kim, H. J. Yoon, and K. B. Shin, “Design of a composite side beam for the railway bogie frame,” in Materials Science Forum, pp. 2676– 2679, 2010.

P. Sengsri, C. Ngamkhanong, A. L. O. de Melo, and S. Kaewunruen, “Experimental and numerical investigations into dynamic modal parameters of fiber-reinforced foamed urethane composite beams in railway switches and crossings,” Vibration, vol. 3, no. 3, pp. 174–188, Sep. 2020.

I. A. Daniyan, K. Mpofu, A. O. Adeodu, and O. Adesina, “Development of carbon fibre reinforced polymer matrix composites and optimization of the process parameters for railcar applications,” Materials Today: Proceedings, vol. 38, pp. 628–634, Jan. 2021.

A. A. Villarreal, C. Tarawneh, M. Ontiveros, J. Aranda, and R. Jones, “Prototyping a conductive polymer steering pad for rail freight service,” in ASME/IEEE Joint Rail Conference, 2019, doi: 10.1115/JRC2019-1286.

A. Önder and M. Robinson, “Harmonised method for impact resistance requirements of E-glass fibre/unsaturated polyester resin composite railway car bodies,” Thin-Walled Structures, vol. 131, pp. 151–164, Oct. 2018.

Z. O. Irikovich, R. R. Vyacheslavovich, and W. Mahmod, “Development of new polymer composite materials for the flooring of rail carriage,” International Journal of Engineering & Technology, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 378–381, 2020.

E. B. Jeon, S. Ahn, I. G. Lee, H. I. Koh, J. Park, and H. S. Kim, “Investigation of mechanical/ dynamic properties of carbon fiber reinforced polymer concrete for low noise railway slab,” Composite Structures, vol. 134, pp. 27–35, Dec. 2015.