Relating truck productivity to safety related performance measures
by Edward S.K. Fekpe, M. El-Gindy
International Journal of Heavy Vehicle Systems (IJHVS), Vol. 4, No. 1, 1997

Abstract: This paper presents an analysis of the relationship between productivity and six safety-related performance measures for twelve Canadian logging truck configurations operating under different weight scenarios. The analysis also seeks to identify the most desirable configuration for each set of gross weight limits and the range of weight limits within which a given configuration satisfies the dynamic performance measures and yields acceptable levels of productivity. The performance measures were calculated using a specially developed nonlinear yaw/roll model. The critical performance measures which are sensitive to truck configuration and weight limit condition are found to be load transfer ratio, static rollover threshold and rearward amplification. In general, configurations with superior dynamic performance tend to have relatively low productivity and vice versa. Except for the rearward amplification ratio and friction demand, there are well defined trends in the variation of the performance measures with productivity. These relationships can be approximated by statistical models that estimate performance measures as a function of productivity. Dynamic performance deteriorates rapidly with increasing weight limit for a given configuration. In trading dynamic performance for productivity, there are critical gross weight limits for which this can be achieved without sacrificing safety. Configurations with tridem axle units on either tractor or trailer have high productivity and adequate dynamic performance properties under a range of weight limit regimes.

Online publication date: Tue, 18-Jun-2013

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