Strengthening Riveted Joints of the Grain Rail Car Backstop

The paper analyzes the current state of the grain transportation freight car fleet. The results of the analysis show that grain rail cars have exhausted their initially assigned service life, which is set by the manufacturer, and have the same type of defects in load-bearing structures in the area of the riveted joint of the backstop of the car hitch to the girder beam. A 3D model of a grain rail car of a typical design was developed. The stress distribution near the holes of the riveted joint of the backstop of the car hitch with the girder beam under the simultaneous action of normative forces was calculated by the finite element method using the SolidWorks program according to the 3rd theory of strength by the established design modes I and III. Implementing the proposed improvement justified the need to conduct relevant research work. These works included the study of the places and causes of cracks, and their result became the basis for the proposed modernization of the car frame.