Measuring dynamic loads for heavy vehicle suspensions using a road simulator
by L. Gyenes, C.G.B. Mitchell
International Journal of Heavy Vehicle Systems (IJHVS), Vol. 3, No. 1/2/3/4, 1996

Abstract: Heavy vehicles apply higher than expected loads to road pavements because of dynamic bouncing. Using vehicle-mounted instrumentation and a variety of truck suspensions, TRL has measured these loads on the TRL research track and on public roads. Work is in progress to develop procedures to enable the road-friendliness of suspensions to be assessed. One possibility is to use a servo-hydraulic road simulator and the validation of a road simulator as a means of measuring dynamic pavement loads is the subject of this paper. Several suspensions have been tested on the Volvo Trucks road simulator. The objectives of these tests were to check the accuracy of the vehicle-mounted instrumentation and to test the ability of the road simulator to generate the same dynamic loads as driving the truck along a road of the same profile. Sinusoidal excitation over a range of frequencies was used to check the instrumentation accuracy. It was found that dynamic wheel loads can be measured to 1-2 percent accuracy using shear strain gauges and hub accelerometers. Measurements using bending strain gauges on the axles are less accurate. Measurements of dynamic loads during runs over road profiles measured on the TRL track showed discrepancies between the loads on the track and on the road simulator. In many cases, there appeared to be more roll motion of the vehicle and its axles on the road simulator than on the track. The results and discrepancies are analysed and possible causes for the discrepancies discussed.

Online publication date: Tue, 18-Jun-2013

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