IJMERR 2024 Vol.13(6): 566-572
doi: 10.18178/ijmerr.13.6.566-572
Numerical Investigation of Lightweight Design and Performance Analysis of Rubber-Wheeled Rail Track Inspection Car
Paramust Juntarakod *, Viroch Sukontanakarn, Paanthong Sroymuk, and Tanawat Chalardsakul
Faculty of Engineering, Rajamangala University of Technology Isan, Khon Kaen, Thailand
Email: paramust.ju@rmuti.ac.th (P.J.); viroch.su@rmuti.ac.th (V.S.); paanthong.sr@rmuti.ac.th (P.S.);
tanawat.ca@rmuti.ac.th (T.C.)
*Corresponding author
Manuscript received April 2, 2024; revised June 16, 2024; accepted June 25, 2024; published November 8, 2024
Abstract—This research introduces a novel lightweight
steel frame and rubber-wheeled system for a small, fourwheeled
vehicle without suspension or differential, designed
to replace traditional railway inspection cars that use heavy
steel wheels. The study aimed to model and perform a static
analysis of a chassis constructed with circular beams.
Modeling and analysis were conducted using the finite
element analysis capabilities of ANSYS. In this research, we
analyzed the materials AISI 1020 and structural steel to
determine the strength, von-Mises stress, and total
deformation of the body frame. The focus was on evaluating
the frame's response to force loads and deflection under
varying load conditions. The analysis results were validated
through a comparative assessment with numerical results
and confirmed to be safe for impact loading. Following this,
all components and equipment for the rail track inspection
car were meticulously constructed and assembled. The
strength analysis of the body frame met the initial design
objectives, demonstrating its effectiveness for use as a rail
track inspection car. The successful completion of this
analysis validates its suitability for practical deployment in
railway inspection tasks, contributing to operational
efficiency and maintenance effectiveness in rail
infrastructure management.
Keywords—rail track inspection car, finite element analysis,
rubber-wheeled, steel frame, ANSYS software, factor of
safety
Cite: Paramust Juntarakod, Viroch Sukontanakarn, Paanthong Sroymuk, and Tanawat Chalardsakul, "Numerical Investigation of Lightweight Design and Performance Analysis of Rubber-Wheeled Rail Track Inspection Car," International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Robotics Research, Vol. 13, No. 6, pp. 566-572, 2024.
Copyright © 2024 by the authors. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided that the article is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.