Safety Implications of Various Truck Configurations
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
SAFETY IMPLICATIONS OF VARIOUS TRUCK CONFIGURATIONS VOLUME 111 SUMMARY REPORT Paul S. Fancher Arvind Mathew January 1989 Technical Report Documentation Page 1. Report No. 2. Government Actereion No. 3. Recipient'r Catalog No. FHWA-RD-89-085 4. Tit* and SubtiUc 5. Report Dete SAFETY IMPLICATIONS OF VARIOUS TRUCK January 1989 CONFIGURATIONS - Vol. 111 6. Performing Organization Code 8, Performing Organlzation Report No. 7. Author(*) Paul S. Fancher, Arvind Mathew UMTRI-88-42 9. Performing Organization Nam and Addnr 10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS) The University of Michigan 11. Contract or Grant No. Transportation Research Institute DTFH61-85-C-00091 2901 Baxter Road, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48 109 13. Typ of Report and Period Covmd 12 Sponroring Agency Name and Addnu Summary Report Office of Safety and Traffic Operations R&D 8-8511-89 Federal Highway Administration 6300 Georgetown Pike, McLean, Virginia 22101-2296 14. Sponroring Agency Code 15. Supplementary Notee FHWA Contract Manager (COTR) - Justin True Subcontractor: Texas Transportation Institute (Dan Middleton) 16. Abrtrlct The purpose of this study is to examine changes to size and weight limits in order to determine their effects on the designs and configurations of heavy vehicles, the performance capabilities of the resulting vehicles, and the ensuing safety implications thereof, The summary report provides results and findings fiom an analytical investigation of the influences of size and weight limits on trucks. In an analytical sense, pavement loading rules and bridge formulas are the inputs to the analyses and vehicle performances are the outputs. Ultimately, the work shows the manner in which size and weight rules influence the safety-related performance of vehicles designed to increase productivity. By treating a number of projected size and weight scenarios, the study has developed a basis for generalizing to sets of principles that can be used in evaluating the possible safety consequences of changes in size and weight regulations. This volume is the third in a series of three. The other two volumes are: Volume I, Technical Report, FHWA Report No. FHWA-RD-89-018 and Volume 11, Appendixes, FHWA-RD-89-019. 17. Key Words 18. Dirtribution Statement Size and Weight Rules, Truck Dynamics, No restrictions. This document is available to Truck Safety, Intrinsic Safety the public through the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, Virginia 22161 10. Security Claralf. (of thir report) '20. Security Clarrif. (of thir woe) ' 21. No. of Pager ' 22 Price Unclassified Unclassified 76 TABLE OF CONTENTS VOLUME I Section Page EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................... 1 1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................ 5 History of Size and Weight Laws..................................... 5 Objectives............................................................... 7 Brief Introduction to the Concept of a Size and Weight Scenario ............................................................. 7 Organization of the Report ............................................ 8 2 . BACKGROUND CONCERNING SIZE AND WEIGHT CONSTRAINTS. VEHICLE DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS. AND MEASURES OF INTRINSIC SAFETY .......................... 10 Size and Weight Constraints ..........................................10 Vehicle Design Considerations.................................. 14 Measures of Intrinsic Safety .......................................... 23 3 . SUMMARY OF THE IMPLICATIONS OF INDIVIDUAL SIZE AND WEIGHT CONSTRAINTS ........................................ 31 Bridge Formula Constraints ........................................... 31 Pavement Loading Constraints........................................ 33 Length Constraints ..................................................... 34 Maximum Weight Constraints ......................................... 35 4. SCENARIO 1 .NO WEIGHT CAP. FORMULA B. STAA LENGTHS ................................................................ 36 Vehicle Design ......................................................... 36 Vehicle Performance ................................................... 42 5 . SCENARIO 2 .NO WEIGHT CAP, FORMULA C. STAA LENGTHS ................................................................ 60 Vehicle Design ......................................................... 60 Vehicle Performance ................................................... 65 6 . SCENARIO 3 .NO WEIGHT CAP. FORMULA TTI. STAA LENGTHS ................................................................ 77 Vehicle Design ......................................................... 77 Vehicle Performance ................................................... 90 7 . SCENARIOS 4&5 .USING FORMULAS C AND TTI INSTEAD OF FORMULA B ............................................ 100 8 . SCENARIO 6 .NO WEIGHT CAP. FORMULA B. AND AN OFFTRACKING LIMIT .................................................10 1 Vehicle Design ......... ................................................ 101 Vehicle Performance. ..................................................11 8 9 . VARIATIONS IN TIRES. BRAKES. AND SUSPENSIONS.. ....... 128 10 . LOAD VARIATIONS .................................................... 131 11. SCENARIO 7 .NO WEIGHT CAP. FORMULA TTI. AND AN OFFTRACKING LIMIT ................................................. 134 Vehicle Design ......................................................... 134 Vehicle Performance. .................................................. 152 12. PAVEMENT LOADING CONSTRAINTS CORRESPONDING TO THE TURNER CONCEPT (SCENARIOS 8-11). ................ 162 13. SCENARIOS 12 AND 13........................... .. ............. 164 Scenario 12 -- no weight cap, formula C, and an offtracking limit .................................................................. 164 Scenario 13 .88k weight cap and formula B for a tractor- sem~trailer. ........................................................... 165 14. DISCUSSIONS OF VEHICLES FOR HAULING INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS ORGANIZATION (ISO) CONTAINERS (SCENARIOS 14-16) ................................ 165 Vehicle Design for Scenario 14 ....................................... 166 Vehicle Design for Scenario 15....................................... 168 Vehicle Design for Scenario 16 ....................................... 168 Vehicle Performance ................................................... 170 15. SCENARIO 17 .100K WEIGHT CAP. BRIDGE FORMULA B. AND AN OFFTRACKING LIMIT ...................................... 181 Vehicle Design ......................................................... 181 Vehicle Performance. .................................................. 190 16. SCENARIO 18 -- TWIN STEERING AXLES ......................... 200 Vehicle Design ......................................................... 200 Vehicle Performance ................................................... 2 03 17. CONCLUSIONS FROM THE SCENARIOS ........................... 2 13 Scenario 1 - no weight cap. formula B. STAA lengths............ 213 Scenario 2 - no weight cap. formula C. STAA lengths............ 217 Scenario 3 - no weight cap. formula TTI. STAA lengths ......... 218 Scenarios 4&5 .using formulas C and TTI instead of formula B .....................................................................219 Scenario 6 - no weight cap. formula B. and an offtracking limit ..................................................................219 Scenario 7 - no weight cap, formula TTI, and an offtracking limit ..................................................................221 Pavement loading constraints corresponding to the Turner concept (scenarios 8 through 11) .................................222 Discussions of vehicles for hauling IS0 containers (scenarios 14 - 16) ............................................................ 223 Scenario 17 - lOOk cap, bridge formula B, and an offtracking limit .................................................................. 224 Scenario 18 - twin steering axles ...................................225 18. OVERALL FINDINGS WITH RESPECT TO THE SAFETY IMPLICATIONS OF SIZE AND WEIGHT ISSUES .................. 225 What Are the Fundamental Findings of This Study? ................ 225 Relationships between Design Variables and Intrinsic Safety.. .... 226 A Truck Design Approach to Size and Weight Rules ................ 230 Summary ................................................................ 243 19 . RECOMMENDATIONS ..................................................245 1. What are the Elements of a Set of Size and Weight Constraints that will Provide both Increased Safety and Increased Productivity .............................................245 2. How Should Safety Implications be Evaluated ...................246 3. What Properties of Tires, Suspensions, and Brakes are Needed to Ensure Good Performance in Safety-Related Maneuvers ...........................................................248 4. How Can the Findings of This Study be Used to Enhance the Efficiency. Safety. and Acceptability of Truck Transportation on the Nation's Highways ........................ 249 REFERENCES ...................................................A. ........... 252 VOLUME 11 Section Page APPENDIX A - EXCEL TRUCK DESIGN TOOL DOCUMENTATION ..................................................... 1 Design Data Input ...................................................... 1 Constraint Evaluation .................................................. 5 Vehicle Drafting ........................................................ 7 Simulation Input