Retarders for Heavy Vehicles: Evaluation of Performance Characteristics and In-Service Costs
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RETARDERS FOR HEAVY VEHICLES: EVALUATION OF PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS AND IN-SERVICE COSTS Phase I - Technical Report Paul S. Fancher James 0' Day Howard Bunch Michael Sayers Christopher B. Winkler Contract No. DOT-HS-9-02239 Contract Amount: $201,594 Highway Safety Research Institute The University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 February 1981 Prepared for the Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, under Contract No. : DOT-HS-9-02239. This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the Department of Transportation in the interest of information exchange. The United States Government assumes no 1 iabil i ty for the contents or use thereof. Tnhrical Report Docummtation Page 1. Roport No. 2. Gowe-t Accession No. 3. Recipimt'r Catslo9 No. 1 4. Title d Subtitle 5. Rmport Date RETARDERS FOR HEAVY VEHICLES: EVALUATION OF PERFORMANCE CHAFACTERISTICS Aiin IN-SERVICE 6. Pwforring Orponization COA COSTS - Vol. I: Technical Report 01 7691 8. Pukrring Or9mixation Ropart No. h*drLP. Fancher, J. O'Day, H. Bunch, M. Sayers, UM-HSRI-81-8-1 C.- Winkler. - . I 9. Puforning Orgmirstion Wane md Address 1 10. Wo& Unit No. Highway Safety Research Institute The University of Michi an 11. Controcc or Gront No. Huron Parkway. & . Baxter W oad , DOT-HS-9-02239 13. TYPO O! Roport and Period Covered Ann Arbor, Mich~qan48109 I 12. $onsorino A~~~~ NH MI( Address Final (Phase I) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration I 9/79-9/80 ' I U. S. ~epartment-of ~ransportatjon 14. Sponsoring Agency Code Washington, D.C. 20590 IS. Supplmnntar Mows I*. Abstract The potential benefits to be derived from retarder use in heavy truck applications are evaluated in terms of (1) productivity gains due to de- creased trip time, (2) cost savings due to decreased brake wear and main- tenance, and (3) safety enhancement due to reduced probability of a runaway accident. The physical factors influencing downhill speed control are de- scribed and analyzed. The characteristics of currently available retarders are discussed. An assessment of the retarder market and its future poten- tial is presented. An examination of available accident information is em- ployed in developing safety performance analyses of heavy vehicles on down- grade sections of highways. The results of these various studies are appli in summarizing the items that prospective buyers of retarders need to know in order to estimate the cost benefits to be obtained from various levels of retarder power. '" Dis"ibtim"a'""' 17. K.). Words Retarders, Downgrade Speed Control , Runaway Accidents, Retarder Market, Brake Temperature, Brake UNLIMITED Life 1 19. hrityCImsil. (of thim m. kcurity Clessif. (of this p-) 21. No. of Poges 22. Prtce NONE NONE 1 24 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Contract Technical Manaaer for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is Mr. Robert Clarke, who has been of con- siderable assistance in the guidance of this study. In the performance of this study, HSRI has received valuable information from persons representina the fol1owing organizations : General Motors Corporati on Detroit Diesel All ison Division - Messrs. Curry, Huevel , and Hittle Caterpillar Tractor Company - Mr. Stone Will iams Air Control Company - Messrs. Baker, Nicholson, Gettel , Metzger and Robson Jacobs Manufacturing Company - Messrs. Bloom, Mahoney, Brinkerhoff, Fleming, Priest Curnrnins Engine Company - Mr. Feuterer Telma - Messrs. Ganzhorn and Borione California Highway Patrol - Lt. Mintline Colorado State Department of Highways - Mr. Jessup Pennsylvania Department of Transportation - Mr. Balmer Western Highway Institute - Messrs. Sherrard, D'Amico, and Ketchum ILASA - Mr. Steffins The assistance provided by the individuals 1 isted above is gratefully ac know1 edged. The aid of state personnel from Pennsylvania, California, and Colorado was very useful in del ineating the accident problem caused by vehicles running away on downgrades. Discussions with personnel from Jacobs Manufacturing Company helped considerably in developing an analysis of the rate of return on i nvestment. Each of the retarder manufacturers contacted provided a good background on the physical and engineering aspects of retarder util i- zation. Professor W. E. Meyer of Pennsylvania State University suppl ied information on the European usage of retarders. Ms. Barbara Edstrom of HSRI gathered and organized the extensive summary of state information presented in Appendix 17. The rate of return analysis was prepared by Mr. Gary Hu of HSRI and araphs were made by Ms. Barbara Edstrom. This manuscript was typed by Ms. Jeannette Nafe. The figures were prepared by Mr. Gary Hu. TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................ ii LIST OF FIGURES ........................ v LIST OF TABLES ......................... vii 1 . INTRODUCTION ....................... 1 2 . CHARACTERIZATION AND ANALYSIS OF RETARDER USE ....... 3 2.1 Physical Specifications of Retardation Capabilities Sufficient for Downhill Speed Control .................... 3 2.2 Technical Descriptions of Retarder Operation ...................... 27 2.3 Analysis of Retarder Market ............. 39 2.4 Legal. Social. and Subjective Factors Affecting Retarder Use ................ 53 3 . SAFETY PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS ................ 68 3.1 Data Sources ..................... 69 3.2 The Frequency of Runaway Events ........... 73 3.3 Costs of Runaway Events ............... 81 3.4 A Model Interrelating the Major Vehicle- Related Factors in Runaways ............. 88 3.5 Safety Summary .................... 98 4 . OPERATIONAL. COST. AND SAFETY BENEFITS TO BE DERIVED FROM EXPANDED USE OF RETARDERS .......... 100 4.1 The Potential for Reduced Trip Time ......... 100 4.2 The Potential for Reduced Brake Lining Wear ..................... 105 4.3 The Potential for Reduced Accident Costs ....... 109 5 . GUIDANCE FOR PROSPECTIVE BUYERS OF RETARDERS ....... 112 6 . CONCLUDING STATEMENTS ................... 122 7 . REFERENCES ........................ 124 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1 Free-body diagram of a four-axle tractor-trailer descending a grade at constant speed. 5 Magnitude of the sources of natural retardation . 9 Required braking power. , . , . 12 Examples of stable and unstable equilibrium . 14 Control speed, Vc, for an engine speed retarder. 15 Brake capabilities based on a maximum temperature . 18 A1 lowable speed versus length of grade for various grades. 20 Graphical solutions for control speed and absorbed horsepower . 21 Miles to reach 150°F. 23 Influence of initial brake temperature on control speed . 25 Results for combined use of a retarder and the brakes. , . 26 Internal rate of return: 450 do1 lars, 4 years, 2 axles. 49 Internal rate of return: 900 dollars, 4 years, 2 axles. 50 Internal rate of return: 1800 dollars, 6 years, 3 axles . , . 51 Internal rate of return: 3500 dollars, 10 years, 3 axles, . 52 Ramp usage report form. 71 Hypothetical distribution of runaway events by severity . 74 LIST OF FIGURES (Cont.) Figure 3.3 Presence of one or more truck escape ramps in the United States. 76 Numbers of fatal accidents by state which may be runaways . 80 Vertical adequacy at code 3 or 4, Interstates . 82 Vertical adequacy at code 3, other primary arterials . 83 Vertical adequacy at code 4, other primary arterials . , . 84 Runaway frequencies vs. retarder presence . 97 Runaway frequenciesvs. brakeadjustment. 97 Retarder investment rate of return as a function of vehicle axles and 1 ife. 106 Control speed versus grade. 118 Safety benefit based on the number of runaway events avoided. 121 LIST OF TABLES -Table 2.1 Sources of Natural Retardation. .......... 10 2.2 Length of Grade, L, in Miles for Vc = 55 mph for Two Initial Brake Temperatures and Four Grades. .. 24 Operational Behavior of Generic Retarder Groups.. ..................... 28 Specifications for Individual U.S.-Made Retarders ..................... 29 Specifications for Individual European- Made Retarders. .................. 30 Estimated 1979 U.S. Sales of Supplementary Brake Devices, by Type. .............. 4 0 Estimated 1979 U.S. Sales of Supplementary Brake Retarders, by Location. ........... 42 Estimated 1980 Population of Heavy Duty Trucks and Buses and Percent with Retarders, by Region. .................... 43 Typical Truck Operating Life, Size, and Brake User Characteristics for Selected Appl ications. .. 47 Factors Considered in Return-on- Investment Analysis of Retarder Installations. ........ 48 Retarder Application Summary - Van or Del i very Trucks .................. 54 Retarder Application Summary - City and Short- Del ivery Trucks .................. 55 Retarder Application Summary - Beverage Del ivery Trucks .................. 56 Retarder Appl ication Summary - Util i ty Vehicles. ..................... 57 Retarder Application Summary - Refuse Packers ... 58 Retarder Appl ication Summary - Farm Trucks. .... 59 Retarder Appl ication Summary - Dump Trucks. .... 60 LIST OF TABLES (Cont. ) Retarder Application Summary - Cement Mixers. 61 Retarder Appl ication Summary - Liquid/ Bulk Trucks . , . 62 Retarder Appl i cation Summary - Equipment Hauler. , . , . 63 Retarder Appl ication Summary - Line-Haul Trucks. 64 Retarder Appl ica ti on Summary - Loggi ng Trucks. 65 Characteristics of Selected Downgrade Sites . 77 Estimates of the Numbers of Runaway Events and Their Annual Costs in the United States . 86 Estimates of the Frequencies of Improper/Proper Brake Adjustment in Accident and Exposure Popul ations . , . 90 Proportion of Vehicles in Two Weight Classes, Runaways vs.