Boxcar Transportability Engineering Test of Propelling Charge Plastic Containers on Metal Pallets.

摘要

The U.S. Army Defense Ammunition Center and School (USADACS) was tasked by the U.S. Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC) to design a unitization system for M203 155mm propelling charge plastic containers. The unitization system, consisting of a standard metal pallet, pallet adapter, spacing posts, and a top lift assembly was previously tested and met the requirements of MIL-STD-1660, Design Criteria for Ammunition Loads. Propelling charge plastic containers on a standard metal pallet have not previously been tested in a rail transportation environment. This engineering test, based on a blocking and bracing procedure developed by the Storage and Outloading Division (SMCAC-DEO), was performed to determine the adequacy of the unitization in a rail transportation environment. To accomplish this procedure, a 50-foot boxcar was center loaded with propelling charge plastic container pallets. Two test configurations were used. The first test consisted of orienting the containers parallel in the direction of impact. The second test had the pallet skids and containers perpendicular to the direction of impact. Each configuration was subjected to impact of 4, 6 and and 8 miles per hour (mph) in a forward direction and one impact 8 mph in the reverse direction. Keywords: Ammunition containers.