Structural tests of freight wagons on the basis of signals generated by piezoelectric macro fiber composites

Paper presents a report of a research work that concerns possibilities of freight wagons modernization using new composite materials. The main aim of presented work was to verify the possibility of inference from the dynamic response of the wagon about the changes in its technical condition. During the presented works tests on real objects were carried out using Macro Fiber Composite (MFC) piezoelectric transducers glued to the freight wagon’s frame. The dynamical response of the wagon was measured while the object was driving. On the next stage the measured signal was generated on a laboratory stand using electrodynamic modal shaker and vibrations of the laboratory model were measured. Measured signals were juxtaposed on charts and analysed. The aim of this work was to verify if it is possible to detect the change in the system using measurements of vibrations that are being generated during exploitation of the freight wagon.