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TRIMIS

EURAXLES: Minimizing the risk of fatigue failure of railway axles

PROJECTS
Funding
European
European Union
Duration
-
Status
Complete with results
Geo-spatial type
Other
Total project cost
€4 721 151
EU Contribution
€2 899 998
Project website
Project Acronym
EURAXLES
STRIA Roadmaps
Vehicle design and manufacturing (VDM)
Transport mode
Rail icon
Transport policies
Safety/Security,
Societal/Economic issues
Transport sectors
Passenger transport,
Freight transport

Overview

Call for proposal
FP7-SST-2010-RTD-1
Link to CORDIS
Background & Policy context

This is a R&D project uniting partners across Europe including: axle manufacturers, railway operators/IMs, system integrators, technology suppliers, universities, rail sector associations and aconsulting firm. The consortium is well-positioned to provide a common R&D approach to axle design, protection, inspection and maintenance which will have an impact on standards, regulations and on the market.

Objectives

The EURAXLES project aims to develop innovative, safer solutions for railway wheel sets with improved reliability in a cost effective way.

Methodology

The research is summarized below:

  • A design approach will be developed, including a risk analysis method which could offer a simple design route by combining loads with difference occurrences including loading specificity of vehicles and service conditions together with the axles resistances, including new materials and methods in order to predict the failure probability;
  • New developments will also include: (i) improved axle protection against corrosion, including protection of already corroded axles; (ii) improved adhesion of coatings with a study of the roughness influence (adhesion and fatigue behaviour); and (iii) new, innovative coating solutions. The new solutions will also aim to fulfil environmental requirements to avoid or limit VOC emissions;
  • New/improved NDT inspection methods will allow the in-service inspection of axles in order to guarantee safe service conditions with a low impact on the vehicle availability;
  • RAMS/LCC analysis of the solutions will be carried out.

The railway transportation system requires a risk analysis of the safety components. Activities will improve design validation and inspection technologies of axles which will optimise costs, safety and environmental compliance to be shown with RAMS/LCC analyses. Results will be disseminated to the different stakeholders, and the European standards and regulations for railway axles and wheel sets will be improved across Europe.

Funding

Parent Programmes
Institution Type
Public institution
Institution Name
The European Commission
Type of funding
Public (EU)
Specific funding programme
FP7-TRANSPORT

Results

Minimising axle failure in rail transport

The safety of wheel sets and axles is critical to Europe's rail sector. An EU initiative introduced novel ways of monitoring and maintaining rail wagon axles that will reduce rail-related accidents and help unify European rail standards.

A broken axle could lead to significant rail catastrophes, causing the loss of lives as well as major economic costs from compensation to repairs.

Overall, the aim of the EU-funded project 'EURAXLES: Minimizing the risk of fatigue failure of railway axles' (http://www.euraxles.eu/ (EURAXLES)) was to reduce railway axle failure to the maximum extent possible.

EURAXLES worked on novel axle design based on new materials and methods to help predict failure probability. It furthered axle protection against corrosion, developed better coatings and improved adhesion of coatings while keeping in mind environmental considerations. In addition, project members worked on assessing new and improved non-destructive testing inspection methods.

Existing axle standards were assessed to determine restrictions for the testing and validation of protective coatings. Focus was also placed on the operating conditions of wheel sets in service.

A benchmark was carried out of existing and promising innovative solutions that might enable reliable inspection without the train needing to stop for several days.

EURAXLES examined the technical aspects involved in implementing axle design solutions, including coated and non-coated surfaces, protection types, coating thickness and corrosion impact. In addition, project members investigated suitable inspection tools, technologies and systems to identify defects in axles in real settings.

The team created a tool to compare different solutions developed during the project and their market uptake. Achievements also included a new online database of axle load measurements to understand real in-service loads, as well as new methodology to analyse axle load.

Lastly, recommendations were formulated for updating European standards and regulations for railway axles and wheel sets.

The innovative design approach and methods of EURAXLES will result in safe and cost-effective railway axles. With about 3.5 million axles currently in operation throughout Europe, threats to rail transport safety should be greatly minimised.

Partners

Lead Organisation
Organisation
European Union Road Federation
Address
Avenue Louise 106, 1050 BRUXELLES, Belgium
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€296 343
Partner Organisations
Organisation
Construcciones Y Auxiliar De Ferrocarriles Investigacion Y Desarrollo Sl
Address
JOSE MIGUEL ITURRIOZ 26, 20200 BEASAIN, Spain
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€179 070
Organisation
Ultrasen Sistemas Sl
Address
Calle Acacia 34, 28850 Torrejon De Ardoz, Spain
EU Contribution
€31 537
Organisation
Deutsche Bahn Ag
Address
Postdamer Platz 2, 10785 BERLIN, Germany
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€162 160
Organisation
Sncf
Address
34 Rue du Commandant René Mouchotte, 75014 PARIS, France
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€277 860
Organisation
Valdunes Sas
Address
Rue Gustave Delory, 59125 Trith Saint Leger, France
EU Contribution
€116 310
Organisation
Union International Des Chemins De Fer
Address
16 rue Jean Rey, 75015 PARIS, France
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€54 277
Organisation
Ecole Nationale Superieure De Chimie De Lille
Address
Cite Scientifique, Avenue Dimitri Mendeleiev, 59652 Villeneuve D'ascq, France
EU Contribution
€126 337
Organisation
Universita Degli Studi Di Udine
Address
Via Palladio 8, 33100 Udine, Italy
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€136 912
Organisation
Fraunhofer Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forschung E.v.
Address
HANSASTRASSE 27C, 80686 MUNCHEN, Germany
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€184 013
Organisation
Wavestone Advisors
Address
Avenue Charles De Gaulle 159, 92200 Neuilly Sur Seine, France
EU Contribution
€91 619
Organisation
Trenitalia Cargo S.p.a.
Address
Piazza della Croce Rossa, 1, 00161 ROMA, Italy
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€24 663
Organisation
Ansaldo Trasporti - Sistemi Ferroviari S.p.a.
Address
Via Argine, 425, 80100 NAPOLI, Italy
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€39 576
Organisation
Bonatrans Group A.s.
Address
Bohumin Revolucni 1234, 73594 Bohumin, Czechia
EU Contribution
€130 067
Organisation
Renfe Operadora
Address
Avda Pio Xii 110, 28036 Madrid, Spain
EU Contribution
€85 356
Organisation
Mer Mec S.p.a.
Address
via Oberdan, 70, 70043 MONOPOLI, Italy
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€66 091
Organisation
Alstom Transporte Sa
Address
Paseo De La Castellana 257, 28046 Madrid, Spain
EU Contribution
€19 316
Organisation
Politecnico Di Milano
Address
Piazza Leonardo Da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano, Italy
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€231 776
Organisation
Metalogic N.v. A.i. Technologies & Engineering
Address
Technologielaan 11, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium
EU Contribution
€71 899
Organisation
Gutehoffnungshutte Radsatz Gmbh
Address
Gartenstrasse 40, 46145 Oberhausen, Germany
EU Contribution
€129 087
Organisation
Lucchini Rs Spa
Address
Via Oberdan 6/a, 25128 Brescia, Italy
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€185 599
Organisation
Alstom Transport Sa
Address
3 Avenue André Malraux, 92300 LAVALLOIS-PERRET, France
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€0
Organisation
Universidad Carlos Iii De Madrid
Address
Calle Madrid, 28903 Getafe (Madrid), Spain
Organisation website
EU Contribution
€99 067
Organisation
Radsatzfabrik Ilsenburg Gmbh
Address
Schmiedestrasse 16/17, 38871 Ilsenburg, Germany
EU Contribution
€161 063

Technologies

Technology Theme
Rail vehicle design
Technology
Rail axle and wheel coatings
Development phase
Research/Invention
Technology Theme
Computer-aided design and engineering
Technology
Finite Element Analysis and modelling of axles
Development phase
Research/Invention
Technology Theme
Non destructive testing
Technology
Non destructive testing methods for continuous monitoring of rail axles
Development phase
Research/Invention

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