Strength Analysis of Welded Joints on Railway Bogie Side Frame with Welding Current Variations Using the Finite Element Method

Ojo Kurdi; Achmad Widodo; Toni Prahasto; Muhammad Rizky Hidayat

doi:https://doi.org/10.47001/CJESR/2026.305001

Authors

Ojo Kurdi

Faculty of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Diponegoro University, Indonesia

Achmad Widodo

Faculty of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Diponegoro University, Indonesia

Toni Prahasto

Faculty of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Diponegoro University, Indonesia

Muhammad Rizky Hidayat

Faculty of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Diponegoro University, Indonesia

Abstract

The quality of welded joints on railway bogie side frames is a critical factor in ensuring the structural integrity and operational safety of rail vehicles. This study investigates the effect of welding current variations on the mechanical strength of butt-joint welds on SM490 steel, which is widely used in bogie frame fabrication. Welding was performed using the Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) method with an ER70S-6 filler wire of 1.2 mm diameter and welding currents of 180 A, 200 A, 220 A, and 240 A on 14 mm thick plate specimens. Tensile testing was carried out in accordance with the ASTM E8/8M standard to evaluate maximum tensile strength, elongation, and elastic modulus. The results show that a welding current of 200 A produced the highest ultimate tensile strength of 368 MPa and the greatest elongation of 33%, indicating optimal fusion and penetration at this current level. Numerical analysis using the Finite Element Method (FEM) through ANSYS Workbench was subsequently performed on the side frame geometry under three loading conditions based on EN 13749: static vertical load, longitudinal load (acceleration and braking), and lateral load (cornering). The maximum von Mises stress of 165.53 MPa occurred under the cornering condition, with a minimum safety factor of 1.69, both of which remain within acceptable structural limits. Validation of FEM results against experimental data demonstrated consistent trends in mechanical performance across all current variations, confirming the reliability of the numerical approach. These findings establish 200 A as the optimal welding current for SM490 butt-joint welds on railway bogie side frames and provide a validated numerical reference for structural design in rail vehicle manufacturing.

Keywords

SM490 Steel Bogie Side Frame GMAW Welding Welding Current Variation Tensile Strength Finite Element Method ANSYS; EN 13749.

Citation of this Article

Ojo Kurdi, Achmad Widodo, Toni Prahasto, & Muhammad Rizky Hidayat. (2026). Strength Analysis of Welded Joints on Railway Bogie Side Frame with Welding Current Variations Using the Finite Element Method. Current Journal of Engineering and Science Research. 3(5), 1-9. Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.47001/CJESR/2026.305001

References

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[1] B. Sitorus, et al., "Railway transportation efficiency and safety: A comprehensive review," Journal of Transportation Engineering, vol. 12, no. 3, pp. 45–58, 2024.

[2] K. Al Amin, S. Y. Firiambodo, E. P. Purwanti, and E. W. R. Widodo, "Pengelasan pada stainless steel dengan tipe yang berbeda menggunakan resistance spot welding untuk aplikasi gerbong kereta," Jurnal Rekayasa Mesin, vol. 16, no. 3, pp. 1–10, 2021.

[3] S. M. Redi, A. Susanto, B. Asngali, and M. Martin, "Simulasi dinamis pada kereta penumpang stainless steel new generation menggunakan metode multibody dynamic system," Jurnal Perkeretaapian Indonesia, vol. 6, no. 2, pp. 49–56, 2022.

[4] R. Kurniadi, "Optimasi desain bogie frame light rail transit (LRT) dengan penambahan backing plate menggunakan finite element method," Undergraduate Thesis, Institut Teknologi Indonesia, Tangerang, Indonesia, 2024.

[5] M. M. Sheykhi and M. A. Mostafaei, "Optimizing weld strength and microstructure in CP-titanium and 304 stainless steel friction welds with chromium interlayer," Results in Materials, vol. 24, p. 100627, 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.rinma.2024.100627.

[6] Z. Zulfadly and M. A. Ghony, "Variasi ampere terhadap kekuatan tarik pada hasil pengelasan dengan posisi down hand," Hexatech: Jurnal Ilmiah Teknik, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 39–50, 2022, doi: 10.55904/hexatech.v1i01.75.

[7] R. D. Sulamet-Ariobimo, J. W. Soedarsono, T. Sukarnoto, A. Rustandi, Y. Mujalis, and D. Prayitno, "Tensile properties analysis of AA1100 aluminium and SS400 steel using different JIS tensile standard specimen," Journal of Applied Research and Technology, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 148–153, 2016, doi: 10.1016/j.jart.2016.03.006.

[8] N. Nishanth and K. Venkatesan, "A literature review on gas metal arc welding (GMAW)," International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology, vol. 370, no. 7, pp. 370–375, 2022.

[9] F. Fankhauser, J. A. Tyson, and J. Askari, "Transient structural analysis of electric bus chassis frame," IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, vol. 1185, no. 1, p. 012038, 2021, doi: 10.1088/1757-899X/1185/1/012038.

[10] N. K. Pikle, S. R. Sathe, and A. Y. Vyavhare, "GPGPU-based parallel computing applied in the FEM using the conjugate gradient algorithm: a review," Sadhana, vol. 43, no. 7, pp. 1–21, 2018, doi: 10.1007/s12046-018-0892-0.

[11] Q. Matin, R. Haliq, A. I. Ismail, and M. Jamil, "Analysis of shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) with current variations against tensile strength, bending strength, and microstructure of API 5L X52," Journal of Mechanical Engineering Research, vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 1–9, 2024.

[12] Suheni, A. A. Rosidah, and S. S. Utomo, "Analisa pengaruh variasi arus dan sambungan terhadap kekuatan tarik dan impak dengan material SS400 pada pengelasan GMAW," Jurnal Teknik Mesin Indonesia, vol. 19, no. 1, pp. 1–8, 2024.

[13] C.-H. Huang, C.-H. Hou, T.-S. Hsieh, L. Tsai, and C.-C. Chiang, "Mechanical and corrosion properties of dissimilar welded joints between stainless steel and low-carbon steel," Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part E: Journal of Process Mechanical Engineering, vol. 236, no. 4, pp. 1–10, 2022.

[14] American Society of Mechanical Engineers, ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section IX: Welding, Brazing, and Fusing Qualifications. New York, NY, USA: ASME, 2019.