PRESTRESSED CONCRETE BOX WAGON

By
Cawas Phiroze Nazir*

SYNOPSIS
Railway wagons are in extremely high demand in India as its economic growth
accelerates and the volume of shipments of raw materials dramatically increases.
Among the core consumers, BOXN wagons are required for movement of coal –
for both power and steel plants. There is a huge shortage in the availability of
these wagons mainly due to cost and shortage of steel. This has prompted a new
type of wagon design having a prestressed concrete body fitted over an
underframe of a conventional BOXN wagon. The key elements of its design and
construction are discussed. A preliminary design illustrates the suitability of the
new wagon.
Keywords: wagon, prestressd concrete panels, steel stanchions.

*Cawas Phiroze Nazir, B.E., M.Eng (Sheffield), F.I.E

Consulting Engineer, 5A Dilkusha Street, Kolkata-700017, India
Tel No (033) 22906129, E mail < cpnazir@gmail.com >
INTRODUCTION
The demand for transportation by rail has necessitated a huge demand for railway
wagons. The shortage, the Railway sources point out, is particularly visible only
in a particular type of wagon, namely the Bogie Open wagon type BOXN (see
Fig.1). Among the core consumers, BOXN wagons are required for movement of
coal, for both power and steel plants. These wagons account for nearly 40% of the
wagons in use. As an example, SAIL, the largest steel producer, needs on average
25 rakes of BOXN wagons everyday. Traditionally, these wagons have been made
from steel. But, as the economic growth accelerates there is a shortfall in steel
availability. The current wait time for a wagon is approximately 18 months. These
and other factors have prompted a new design to be introduced. Called the
Prestessed Concrete BOX wagon, it has a prestresed concrete body attached to
underframe of conventional BOXN wagon. The paper discusses its salient features
in respect of design and construction.

OVERALL CONCEPT
A typical BOXN wagon is shown in Fig.2 It comprises of:

 A wagon body comprising of side bodies and end bodies.

 Under frame assembled with sub assembly jobs i.e. center sill, bolster,
cross-bar, head stock, floor plates and couplers
 Bogie, including components e.g. axle bearing, wheels etc.
 Brake system. Coupler and draft gear.
 Loading and unloading system

On examining the various sub- assemblies, it can be seen that the body lends itself
ideally for conversion from steel to prestressd concrete on grounds of cost,
corrosion, durability, etc. The railways have addressed these problems to some
extent by introducing BOXN-CR stainless steel wagons built with 3CR12
stainless steel, and the BOXNAL wagon built with aluminium. using ‘RDE-
40’aluminium alloy. However, as the design developed, it became clear that a
wagon body built from prestressed concrete and assembled on top of the
conventional steel under frame could offer significant advantages.

2
THE NEW DESIGN
The new design that emerged is called the prestressed concrete box wagon It has
a prestressed concrete body attached to the under frame of a conventional broad
gauge open type wagon type BOXN. This is mounted on two Casnub 22W bogies,
4 number 20.32t axle load, wheelsets, and cartridge type bearings with adaptors,
non-transition center buffer coupler and single pipe air brake systems. These
wagons are high sided type heavy duty having 3 doors on each side of the wagon
suitable for transportation of materials not susceptible to natural hazards. The
following are the salient features of the superstructure:

Body Side: The body sides consists of prestressed concrete wall panels
spanning horizontally across steel stanchions. The top of the panel (top coping)
and door lintels are framed by ISMC 75 and ISMC100 respectively. The bottom
of the panel (bottom coping) is protected by an unequal angle ISA10065. Three
openings of size 780mmx1480mm are provided on each side for steel doors which
are as per RDSO Drg No.WD-85054-S-02.

Body Ends: Body ends consist of prestressed concrete panels spanning

horizontally across steel end stanchions. The panels top coping are framed by
ISMC 75. The bottom of the panel is protected by an unequal angle ISA10065.
The walls are cast with steel inserts and fittings for ladder, etc.

Side Doors: Each side is provided with three flap doors. The doors have been
provided to unload the material manually in case of emergency when mechanical
unloading system is out of order. The side doors are hinged at bottom.

The two side walls and end walls are cast separately and joined together by
welding the top copings and the corner stanchions to form an open box... During
assembly to under fame, the bottom copings of end panels and side panels are
welded to floor plate of under frame. The steel stanchions are connected to the
under frame by riveting.

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DESIGN CRITERIA
Some of the steps leading up to the concept design as specified by Indian
Railways¹ include:
 Basic design parameters
 General arrangement diagram
 Type of commodity and load distribution.
 Design considerations like factor of safety, dynamic augment, fatigue.
 Suitability of loading /unloading method.
 Type of material used for wagon construction.
 Type of wagon i.e. General purpose, Commodity specific, Route specific.
 List of IRS components being used.

The design of the wagon body was developed based on the dimensions shown in
the sketch of the BOXN wagon² as seen in Fig 2. This wagon is used for the bulk
movement of coal and its main characteristics are:
Height inside 1950 mm
Length inside 9784. mm
Width inside/ overall 2950/3200 mm
Bogie centers 6524 mm
Floor area 28.87 sqm
Cubic capacity 56.29 cum
Tare weight 23.2 tonnes
Pay load 58.08 tonnes
Gross (Tare plus payload) 81.28 tonnes
Max axle load 20.32 tonnes
Track loading density 7.59 tonnes/m

METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION
Briefly, the main stages in construction would comprise;
 Wall panels will be produced in established pre-casting plants. For body
side wall, welded framework of side stanchions, top and bottom coping,
end stanchions, door lintel, etc are placed within steel formwork on
prestressing bed, with HT wires threaded through 25ф holes drilled in

4
 stanchions. (see Fig 3) Plain hard drawn steel wires conforming to IS
1785 or cold drawn indented wire conforming to IS: 6003 are used.
 Casting of concrete for body side wall around continuous HT wires
tensioned against anchorages at each ends of the bed. Integral colour (red)
may be added to concrete mix.
 Casting of body end wall done in similar manner.
 Panels are steam cured and after concrete has gained its required strength,
wires are cut and panel removed to assembly zone. Panels shall be lifted
and supported during manufacturing, stock piling, transporting and
erection operations only at the lifting and supporting points provided at top
of stanchions.
 Precast wall panel members should be stored in a manner to minimize
cracking, distortion, and warping, staining or other physical damage.
Panels to be stored vertically.
 Assembly begins by putting side wall assembly and end wall assembly on
underframe. Fix body side stanchions and body end stanchions temporarily
by means of nuts and bolts then tag weld the side wall and end wall with
corner posts.
 Check controlling dimensions of side wall and end wall and if
satisfactory, rivet the side wall and end wall stanchions to the sole bar and
head stock respectively and weld the end stanchions to the sole bar and
headstock.
 Weld bottom coping to floor plate/end floor angle on underframe.
 Doors to be fitted, ensuring proper opening and locking.
 Wagon is mounted on bogie sets.
 After shot blasting and shower testing the wagon structure, brakes are
fitted.
 Before dispatching, they are painted, lettered, and inspected.

PRELIMINARY DESIGN.
The inner and outer dimensions of the wagon dictated the size of the
concrete/steel members. Six main stanchions and two end stanchions were used

5
for body side walls and spacing was kept same so that body could fit onto the
underfame with least amount of modification.
The body is 9.784m long, 2.95m wide internally in plan and 1.95 m deep. The
structural dimensions are shown in Fig 3.
Side Wall
The wall is to span horizontally over steel stanchions placed approximately as
shown in Fig 3, to allow for door opening size of 1.48mx 0.78m. The prestressing
steel is to comprise high tensile wires of 5mm dia, with strength of 1575 N/mm².
The concrete made from lightweight aggregates of grade M50 having a
characteristic cube strength of 50 N/mm² at 28 days, and at transfer of 35 N/mm².
Concrete density is 18000 N/m³. Concrete barges³ have been built with concrete
having density of 18000 N/m³ and strength of 50N/mm².
Allowable stresses
Generally the permissible design stress for HT steel and for concrete shall be in
accordance with IS:13434
Concrete :
Permissible compressive stress of concrete at transfer fct = 0.4x35 =14 N/mm².
--------------------do---------------------- at working load fcw= 0.4x50 =20 N/mm².
Permissible tensile stress at working load ftw = 3.6 N/mm².
Modulus of rupture = 0.7√ 50 = 4.9 N/mm².
Steel: initial stress pi =0.75x1575 = 1181 N/mm2
stress at transfer pt = 1062 N/mm2 ( allowing 119 N/mm2 for initial losses)
stress at working load pw = 886 N/mm2 ( allowing 295 N/mm2 for later losses)
stress ultimate tu = 1575 N/mm2
The thickness of the prestressed concrete wall panels and sizes of steel stanchions
are determined by calculation as follows. The weight of contents (coal) w, is taken
as 10700N/m3 and the angle of internal friction is ф=35º.
Then k =0•27 where:

1  sin 
k                           1
1  sin 

6
Loading: For design purpose the coal is to be filled in the loading profile called
level, the recommended height being 7cm below the brim, but is assumed upto
brim for design. Weight of coal = 1.07x56.29 = 60.23tonnes
The diagram of horizontal pressure on wall of height h, is a triangle
and pressure at bottom, p = whk = 10700x1.95x0.27 = 5634 N/m²
Allowing a factor of 1.4 for impact, pim = 1.4x5634 =7887 N/m²
Average pressure assumed for design; at 500mm from bottom pd = 5865 N/m²
Bending moment assuming simply supported slab spanning horizontally over
stanchions spaced at 1.72 m centers.
Working moment, Mw = 0.125x 5865x 1.72² = 2169 Nm
Ultimate moment taking a factor of 1.5, Mu =1.5x2169 = 3254 Nm

Concrete section: Wall panel section assumed for design is 65mm thick with 23
no, 5mm dia pre-tensioned steel placed at center of section.
Area of section Ac = BxD ; where B is width and D is depth
Then Ac = 1000 x 65 =65000 mm²
Modulus of section Z1= Z2= 0.166x 1000x65² = 704000 mm³
Area of tensioned steel/m, As = 12x19.63 = 236 mm²
Prestessing force P = 236x886 = 208706 N
Stresses in concrete at top(f1t) and bottom fibres (f2t ) respectively

208706 2169000
f 1t , f 2t    3.21  3.08  6.29and 0.13N / mm 2
65000 704000

Effect of inaccurate positioning of pre-tensioned wires.

For shallow members a tolerance of ± 1.6mm is considered5.
Moment due to eccentricity of 1.6mm low
Stress due to eccentricity at bot = f1e = k1P/A …………… 2

e1 1s e s
where , k1  1  ....................................3
r2
In which e1= depth of bot fibre from centroid = 0.5x65 =32.5; es = ecc =1.6mm

7
 32.5 x1.6
k1  1   1.147or 0.85
352
Then, f1e = 1.147x208706/65000 = 3.69 N/mm²
Similarly, f2t = 0.85x208706/65000 = 2.72 N/mm²
Then max combined stress at bot = f1t+ f1e = 6.29 +3.69 = 9.98 N/mm²
Then max stress in top fiber = 0.13+2.72 = 2.85 N/mm².
The tensile stress at which cracks become visible in shallow planks5 is 3.5 N/mm²
Ultimate load requirements
Lever arm, a = 0.5x32.5 = 16.25mm

M u 323000
Tu    199000 N
a 16.25

199000
As   126mm 2
1575
As provided = 236mm²

Stresses due to shearing:

Shear force V = 0.5x 5865x1.72 = 5056N

3V 3x5056
Shearf sh    0.12 N / mm 2
2 BD 2 x65000
Horizontal stress due to prestress fx = 3.21N/mm²
Then principal stress fp is

2
fx fx 2
fp    f sh .            4
2 4

3.21 3.212
fp    0.12 2  0.01N / mm 2
2 4
Stanchions for side wall
The stanchions are designed to carry the vertical and horizontal loads from the
wall panel. The height of stanchion is too short for vertical prestressing and hence
they have been designed in steel conforming to IS: 2062 grade with minimum
yield stress of 230N/mm².
Loading: Vertical load from wall = 1.69x0.065x1.95x18000 = 3.86x10³ N

8
Horizontal force from wall = 0.5x7887x1.95x1.69 = 12.99x10³N
Moment on stanchion Ms = 12.99x10³x1.95/3 = 8.44x10³ Nm
Section selected is I - section fabricated from 10mm thick MS plates having a
depth of 125mm as shown in Fig 4. Holes, 25ф are drilled to allow for HT wires.
Section properties are: As =3340mm²; Is = 9058x10³mm4; Zs = 145x 10³ mm³;
Effective length, le= 2x1.95 =3.9m; r= 52 mm
Then, allowable compressive stress, pc =85X10³ N/mm² and allowable
compressive stress for members subject to bending pbc = 162 X10³ N/mm²
From loading;
Direct stress fc = 3.86x10³/3340 = 1.15 N/mm²
Compressive stress due to bending fbc = 8.46x10³x10³/ 145x10³ = 58.3 N/mm²

fc f 1.15 58.3
Then  bc   1
p c pbc 85 162

Stanchion Connection
Bending moment M = 8.44x10³ Nm
Direct force W = 3.86 x10³ N
Using a group of 8 rivets of 20mm dia spaced as shown in Fig.4
Area of rivet , A = 314mm²; Modulus of rivet group = 400 .

W 3.86 x10 3
f s ( shear )    1.54 N / mm 2
NA 8 x314

M 8.44 x10 3 x10 3

f t (tensile)    67.35 N / mm 2
ZxA 400 x314

2
67.35 f 2 f 2 2
67.35

Maxstress, f p  t   1.t54 fs 67.38
 N /mm
2
5
2 42 4

Less than allowable stress of 96 N/mm²

End Stanchions for side wall

The stanchions are designed to carry the vertical and horizontal loads from the end
wall panel of 586mm width.

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Loading: Vertical load from wall = 0.5x0.586x0.065x1.95x18000 = 668 N
Horizontal force from wall = 0.5x 7887x1.95x0.293= 2.25x10³ N
Moment on stanchion Ms = 2.25x10³x1.95/3 = 1.46x10³ Nm
Section selected ISMC 100 as shown in Fig. 5.
Section properties are: As =1170mm²; Is =1867x10³mm4 ; Zs = 37.3x 10³ mm³;
Ef length, le= 2x1.95 =3.9m; r = 40mm
Slenderness ratio = 3900/40= 97.5 < 180
Then, allowable compressive stress, pc =92.5X10³ N/mm² and allowable
compressive stress for members subject to bending pbc = 141 X10³ N/mm²
From loading;
Direct stress fc = 668/1170 = 0.57 N/mm²
Compressive stress due to bending fbc = 1.46x10³x10³/37.3x10³ = 39.14 N/mm²

fc f 0.57 39.14
Then  bc   1
p c pbc 92.5 141

Channel fixed to underframe using 6mm fillet weld. (See Fig.5)

Body End Wall is similar in design to body side wall with stanchions spaced as
shown in Fig. 3

COMPARATIVE STUDY
To obtain a preliminary idea of the new design, its cost has been compared to that
for a conventional steel body. The required quantities of steel and concrete for the
two designs are given in Table 1 and Table 2 respectively and these have been
multiplied by the prevailing rates to arrive at the approximate costs. As can be
seen the cost advantage for the new design is clearly recognizable.
In another comparison, the approximate weight of concrete wagon body with steel
stanchions is approximately 6.75t, and that of the conventional steel body wagon
is 4.92t. Thus the tare weight of the wagon increases by 1.82 t to 25.03 t. The coal
carrying capacity, after allowing for an overload of 2t would be: CC = 81.28+2-
25.03 =58.25t. The difference in comparison with the allowable pay load of 58.08t
is marginal, Also as can be seen from the design, the concrete body can carry
more than 60t of coal.

10
Further, even the Indian Railway announced its decision to acquire aluminium
wagons in the backdrop of soaring steel prices. This coupled with the steel
shortfall would mean that with the present design offering a saving of 3.25t (4.92-
1.67) of steel per wagon could allow for a greater productivity of wagons. An
increase of 10% in wagon productivity would lead to annual incremental earnings
of Rs 4000 crores7.

ADVANTAGES OF NEW DESIGN

The new design offers comprehensive advantages, which may be summarized as
follows:
 The use of prestressed concrete wall panels leads to economy of material
and cost.

 Steel wagons are prone to corrosion, which in effect leads to higher

maintenance costs.

 Prestressed concrete wall panels are designed to be crack free under

working load and hence no chance of corrosion of prestressing steel.

 Puncturing of panels due to improper loading is avoided.

 The new design has sufficient prestress so as not to go into reverse stress
under the normal cyclic range of loading and has therefore a reassuringly
high fatigue life7.

 Structure is rigid and not prone to bulging.

 Use of corrosion resistance steel conforming to IRSM for steel stanchions

and other steel components can further improve the life of the wagon.

 The design can be modified to suit other type of wagons.

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CONCLUSION
The proposed prestessed concrete BOX wagon, when fully developed, will
provide a viable alternative for examination when meeting all our demands for
new wagons.

REFERENCES
1) www.rdso.gov.in Indian Railway Procedure for New Wagon Design

2) http://www.serailway.gov.in/HQ/..../Wagon..../6-85.doc. April 89 Sketch of

BOXN Wagon

12
3) Floating Concrete Structures- Example from practice VSL International Ltd.
Berne, Switzerland July 1992

4) IS: 1343 1980 Code of Practice for Prestressed Concrete Bureau of Indian
Standards New Delhi

5) P W Abeles and F. H. Turner ‘Prestressed Concrete Designers Handbook

Concrete Publications Limited London SW1 1962 p 156

6) Lalu Prasad Yadav ex Railway Minister while presenting Railway Budget

2007-08 in Lok Sabha on Feb 26, 2007.

7) A. G. Madhava Rao ‘Fatigue Life Assessment of Prestressed Concrete

Sleepers’, International Symposium on ‘Fatigue in Steel and Concrete Structure’.

Table 1 Cost of Conventional Steel Wagon Body

Main Item Unit Rate Steel Wagon Cost
Components Qty. Rs’000
Steel, side & Struc. Tonne Rs/t
end panels, Steel 45,000 4.92* 221.4

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stanchions,
copings, corner
angles, door
etc.
Total 221.4
* Refer RDSO Drawing No. WD-80007/S-2

Table 2 Cost of Concrete Wagon Body

Main Item Unit Rate Conc Steel Wagon Cost
components. Qty Qty Rs’000
Conc side & Prest. cum Rs/cum
end panels Conc. 25,000 2.82 70.5
Stanchions,top Struc. tonne Rs/t
& bot copings, Steel 45,000 1.67 75.15
corner angles,
doors,etc.
TOTAL 145.65

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

1) Fig. 1 View of BOXN Wagon.

2) Fig.2 Diagram of BOXN Wagon

14
3) Fig.3 G.A. Plan, Sections and Details of Prestressed Concrete Body

4) Fig.4 Body Side Stanchions

5) Fig.5 Body End Stanchions.

15