STUDY OF FORCE EFFECTS ON SELECTED MATERIALS USED IN CARGO TO VEHICLE RESTRAINT SYSTEMS FOR RAIL TRANSPORT. VOLUME 1. SUMMARY REPORT

Abstract : Movement of cargo by any of the various modes of transportation - ship, railroad, or truck - requires the employment of some type of restraining device. The present methods of restraining cargo were developed by using the 'trial and error' approach. The amount of dunnage was determined, more or less by the experience of the packaging personnel or by using static test results along with a good margin of safety. This method of designing cargo restraints suggested the need for developing a technological base for selecting various materials to be used in cargo to vehicle restraint systems. Therefore, in April 1973, the US Army Materiel Development and Readiness Command (DARCOM) Ammunition Center and the Military Traffic Management Command (MTMC) Transportation Engineering Agency (TEA) decided to participate in a joint project to conduct a series of tests to develop such a technological base. Because of the limited amount of information available of the reaction of dunnage material to dynamic forces, major emphasis was directed toward the effect of shocks on materials in cargo restraint systems. To accomplish this joint project, an extensive test program was conducted primarily to evaluate the strength of wood-nail assemblies and the effect of wheel chocks in chain and wire rope restraint systems designed for rail transport. Because rail impact tests are difficult to control and are costly, a major portion of the tests were conducted using laboratory facilities. (Author)