Mechanical tests on catenary components

Mechanical testing of individual catenary parts as well as fully-mounted assemblies

Test Objectives and Typologies

Tensile shear tests: measure the resistance and determine the mechanical tensile behaviour of catenary components
Cyclic tests: check the mechanical endurance of a component under cyclic stress
Creep tests: measure the deformation and behaviour of a component over time, under an applied load at ambient temperature
Gyration tests: measure the rotation and turning force of a component for a given tractive effort
Clamping tests: check the correct placement and ease in which the clamp can be closed and monitor any wire damage
Failure analysis: conduct an expert analysis of broken parts and investigate causes of breakage

Tensile test rig – 2 to 30 kN
Tensile test rig – 100 kN and 5 metres in length
Tensile test rig – 200 kN and 8 metres in length
Tensile test rig – 300 kN and 2 metres in length
Mechanical stress machines for pendulum, with or without low frequency load (0.5 to 5 Hz)

EN 61284 – Overhead lines – Requirements and tests for fittings
EN 50149 – Railway applications – Fixed installations – Electric traction – Copper and copper alloy grooved contact wires
EN 50119 – Railway applications – Fixed installations – Electric traction overhead contact lines
NF C34110 series
EN 50182 – Conductors for overhead lines – Round wire concentric lay stranded conductors
EN 10264 – Steel wire and wire products – Steel wire for ropes – Part 2: cold drawn non alloy steel wire for ropes for general applications
EN 12385 – Railway applications – Fixed installations – Electric traction overhead contact lines
IN 1071 – Installing a splicing clamp for contact wires