Application of Welded Steel Sandwich Panels for Tank Car Shell Impact Protection

This report describes research conducted to examine the application of sandwich structure technology to provide protection against the threat of an indenter striking the side or shell of a tank car in the event of an accident. This research was conducted in two phases over a 3-year period. Testing and analysis of flat, welded steel sandwich panels was conducted in the initial phase of the research. Based on the observations and results from that initial phase, a curved, welded steel sandwich panel was designed and built to protect the side or shell of a decommissioned liquid chlorine tank car during a full-scale impact test. Although the protective panel experienced severe damage, the commodity-carrying tank experienced only permanent deformation and did not puncture.