Rail Car Crashworthiness Design and Testing: Lessons Learned

Author(s):  
R. Sarunac

Following National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommendations and directions from early 1996, the Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority (WMATA) has worked to provide the latest crashworthiness and passenger safety requirements for its new car procurements. Taking advantage of recent developments in the field of vehicle crashworthiness, new technical requirements were developed and implemented for the 5000 and 6000 series vehicles. To date, WMATA is the first transit authority in the U.S. to require a dynamic sled test per the APTA SS-C&S-016-SS Standard, and the second (after the New York City Transit Authority) to run full-scale vehicle crash tests. Previously, the strength-based philosophy was used to ensure some level of rail vehicle crashworthiness. However, WMATA is now implementing a strength-based crashworthiness approach, augmented with “energy-based” requirements. Should a collision occur, the Authority’s ultimate goal is to reduce passenger deceleration rates during a collision, while at the same time controlling the absorption of collision energy in a manner that minimizes loss of space in the occupied volume of the vehicle. The passenger survivability measure using maximum acceleration has been supplemented by introducing the duration of the acceleration as an additional criteria following the Head Injury Criteria (HIC) and Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) approaches developed for the automotive industry. WMATA’s crashworthiness requirements now include sustaining a hard coupling without any damage to the body or coupler (except emergency release), and head-on collision of two eight-car trains with specified passenger loads (one train stationary with brakes applied) with no permanent deformation of the passenger compartment and with the acceleration, level and duration not to exceed the specified HIC. The implementation of an “energy-based” crashworthiness approach was divided into several logical steps/stages. During the design process, several modifications were introduced to optimize crashworthiness and to ensure structural compatibility with the existing fleet. The design was verified by implementing full-scale testing, and potential passenger injuries were assessed by using instrumented anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs), and measuring the forces and accelerations acting on these ATDs during the test.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maximilian Kippnich ◽  
Nora Schorscher ◽  
Helmut Sattler ◽  
Uwe Kippnich ◽  
Patrick Meybohm ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Chemical, Biological or Radio-nuclear (CBRN) incidents are a major challenge for emergency medical services and the involved hospitals. The challenge becomes even greater, if decontamination needs to be performed nearby or even within the hospital campus. To be prepared for such scenarios, the University Hospital Wuerzburg has developed a comprehensive and alternative CBRN response plan. Bullet points of the strategy are decontamination by Special Forces of the fire brigade and CBRN-experts of the Emergency Medical Services and the adaption to the hospitals spatial conditions. The focus of the presented study was to proof the practicability of the concept, the duration of the decontamination process and the temperature management during a full-scale exercise.Methods On demand the decontamination unit can be put into operation within the roofed basement access zone in front of the emergency department. The entire decontamination area can be deployed 24/7 by the hospitals technical staff. Fire and rescue services in adequate personal protective equipment are responsible for the decontamination process itself. The study was designed as full-scale exercise, which was documented by a camera team. The body temperature of the decontaminated Persons and the environment temerature was measured.Results The entire process proofed to be successful. The decontamination area was ready for operation within 30 minutes. The decontamination of the four simulated patients took 5,5 ± 0,6 minutes (mean ± SD) including handovers and undressing. 30 people have participated in the full-scale exercise. At the end of the decontamination process the temperature of the undressed upper body of the training patients was 27,25 ± 1 °C (81,05 ± 2 °F) (mean ± SD), the water in the shower was about 35°C (95°F).Conclusion The presented concept is comprehensive and simple for a best possible c care during CBRN incidents at hospitals. It ensures wet decontamination by Special Forces, while the technical requirements are created by the hospital.


2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (s1) ◽  
pp. s60-s60
Author(s):  
Arthur Cooper ◽  
Michael Frogel ◽  
George Foltin

Introduction:Children are frequently victims of disasters. However, gaps remain in disaster planning for pediatric patients. The New York City Pediatric Disaster Coalition (NYCPDC) is funded by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) to prepare NYC for mass casualty incidents that involve large numbers of children.Aim:On April 26, 2018, the NYCPDC conducted a first full-scale exercise with the New York Fire Department (FDNY) testing evacuation, patient tracking, communications, and emergency response of the obstetrics, newborn, and neonatal units at Staten Island University Hospital North. The goal of the exercise was to evaluate current obstetrics/newborn/neonatal plans and assess the hospital’s ability to evacuate patients.Methods:The exercise planning process included a review of existing obstetrics/newborn/neonatal plans, four group planning meetings, specific area meetings, and plan revisions. The exercise incorporated scenario-driven, operations-based activities, which challenged participants to employ the facility’s existing evacuation plans during an emergency.Results:The exercise assessed the following: communication, emergency operation plans, evacuation, patient tracking, supplies, and staffing. Internal and external evaluators rated exercise performance on a scale of 1-4. Evaluators completed an exercise evaluation guide based on the Master Scenario Event List.An After Action Report was written based on the information from the exercise evaluation guides, participant feedback forms, hot wash session, and after-action review meeting. Strengths included the meaningful improvement of plans before the exercise (including the fire department) and the overall meeting of exercise objectives.Discussion:Lessons learned included: addressing gaps in effective internal and external communications, adequate supplies of space, staff, and equipment needed for vertical evacuations in addition to providing staging and alternate care sites with sufficient patient care and electrical power resources. The lessons learned are being utilized to improve existing hospital plans to prepare for future full-scale exercise and or real-time events.


Screen Bodies ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 86-98
Author(s):  
Josh Morrison ◽  
Sylvie Bissonnette ◽  
Karen J. Renner ◽  
Walter S. Temple

Kate Mondloch, A Capsule Aesthetic: Feminist Materialisms in New Media Art (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2018), 151 pp. ISBN: 9781517900496 (paperback, $27) Alberto Brodesco and Federico Giordano, editors, Body Images in the Post-Cinematic Scenario: The Digitization of Bodies (Milan: Mimesis International, 2017). 195 pp., ISBN: 9788869771095 (paperback, $27.50) Cynthia J. Miller and A. Bowdoin Van Riper, editors, What’s Eating You? Food and Horror on Screen (New York: Bloomsbury Academic, 2017). 370pp., ISBN: 9781501322389 (hardback, $105); ISBN: 9781501343964 (paperback, $27.96); ISBN: 9781501322419 (ebook, $19.77) Kaya Davies Hayon, Sensuous Cinema: The Body in Contemporary Maghrebi Cinema (New York: Bloomsbury, 2018). 181pp., ISBN: 9781501335983 (hardback, $107.99)


2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-30
Author(s):  
Yasuhiro Shimotsuura ◽  
Hiroyuki Maezawa ◽  
Yoshiaki Omura

As Bi-Digital O-Ring Test (originated and founded by Prof. Y. Omura in New York, 1997-2020; follow as BDORT)is a diagnosis method that is carried out on the basic theory of the physiological phenomenon called the decline of muscular power of fingers, the examiner, and patients (or mediator) are demanded to do BDORT by constant regular power. Namely BDORT is a diagnosis method that estimates the relative muscular decline of the patients, so there is such a view that the results of BDORT are reflected by consciousness of the examiner. The authors used the ORT tester by using air system to avoid the influence of electromagnetic wave and evaluated the decline of the muscle strength and open degree of the O-ring shaped by the patients. Patients of the Shimotsuura Clinic are subjected and checked by direct BDORT method. When the patients shapes the O-Ring, staff members stimulated the parts of the body by plastic stick and push foot switch. Decline of the muscle strength & open degree was evaluated. When the open degree was more than 20%, stimulated points were evaluated as abnormal. Opposite side arm of the O-Ring shaped arm was checked as control. The results of the direct BDORT method between ORT evaluation apparatus and the patient was consistent with the results of the indirect method of BDORT method between the doctor and the assistant. Even where the patients complain of ill, the muscle strength was declined and opened the O-Ring by using ORT evaluation apparatus. Especially in the parts of the strong response of Integrin α5β1 checked by the doctor, the muscle strength decreased and the open degree was much higher than other parts of the body. Patients could experience of BDORT by numeral objective evaluation of the decline of the muscle strength by using ORT evaluation apparatus.


1992 ◽  
Vol 26 (9-11) ◽  
pp. 2109-2112
Author(s):  
J. G. Cleary ◽  
T. J. Boehm ◽  
R. J. Geary

Schoeller Technical Papers, Inc. (Schoeller), which manufactures photographic and other specialty papers, is located in Pulaski, New York. The wastewater treatment system consists of a primary clarifier and two settling lagoons. Secondary treatment using a biotower was proposed to meet the new New York State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) discharge limits for BOD and TSS. The effluent from each basin is discharged directly to the Salmon River, at an approximate average flow of 1.6 million gallons/day (mgd). A biotower pilot study was performed to evaluate the suitability of a biotower treatment process for treating the total effluent from Schoeller's facility. The pilot study was used to select the media for the full-scale biotower and to confirm the design loading for the full-scale biotower, which proceeded in parallel with the pilot study due to the schedule constraints. Two pilot systems were operated to compare a conventional cross-flow and vertical media. Test data were collected to evaluate the performance of each pilot treatment system at a range of loading conditions and to develop the design loading information for the full-scale plant. The pilot units were operated for a period of 10 months. BOD concentrations to the pilot units averaged 58 mg/l with a peak of 210 mg/l. Approximately 80% of the BOD was soluble. BOD loadings averaged 21 lb BOD/day/1,000 cubic feet with a peak of 77 lb BOD/day/1,000 cubic feet. Both pilot units achieved excellent BOD removals exceeding 75%, with average effluent soluble BOD concentration less than 10 mg/l and average effluent TSS concentrations of 12 mg/l. The two media achieved comparable performance throughout most of the pilot study.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 (9) ◽  
pp. 4602-4615
Author(s):  
Chris Weis ◽  
Michael Reichel ◽  
Tim Nordberg ◽  
Tim Allen ◽  
Dave Holland ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 (9) ◽  
pp. 4588-4601
Author(s):  
Chris Weis ◽  
Michael Reichel ◽  
Tim Nordberg ◽  
Tim Allen ◽  
Dave Holland ◽  
...  

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