Methods of Modeling Flexible Adhesives

The chassis structure of the hybrid low-floor COBRA tram consists of a frame and a floor module, made of welded aluminum (hollow extrusions [3]) (Fig. 32.9). The composite sandwich roof panel is glued with elastic adhesives to the aluminum roof cant rail. All heavy aggregates are positioned on top of the composite roof panel. Due to the foam core, the loads had to be introduced by additional profiles (connected to the roof cant rail) to smoothen any local peaks. The GRP sidewall panels are joined to the aluminum pillars and the major longitudinal extrusions by long running layers of the elastic adhesive Sikaflex -254 Booster. The structural analysis of this tram vehicle proved the structural integrity of the new design for the load history specified. The stiffness of the structure has been sufficient to fulfill all the deformation criteria (Fig. 32.10). Based on these results, the preproduction series of the first six COBRA trams was produced and is in normal service operation an additional 68 trams will have followed by 2010. 

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