HEAVY VEHICLES--RESEARCH ASPECTS

The paper reviews research in progress at the TRRL that is relevant to the use of heavy commercial road vehicles. The three main aspects concern environmental problems and safety, and the effects of heavy vehicles on pavement performance and cost. On environment and safety the Paper discusses the noise levels of heavy vehicles, how they influence environmental noise depending upon the proportion of heavy vehicles in a traffic stream; and the present research concerned with freight movements and the routeing of heavy vehicles including their environmental effects. A programme of research and development is described that is intended to produce heavy vehicles quieter than many private cars. The exhaust emissions of diesel engines are compared with those of petrol engines and research concerned with the environmental nuisance of exhaust odors is mentioned. Some information is given about safety problems and accident rates in relation to heavy vehicles. On pavement performance and cost the authors discuss the growth in Britain of commercial road traffic both in relation to numbers and types of vehicles. Some information is given on the loading of commercial vehicles and of the types of such vehicles now in use on different classes of public road. /HSRI/

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/03066452
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Presented at the Conference-Coping with Heavy Vehicles Symposium April 1-2, 1974, Egham, Surrey, England.
• Corporate Authors:

  Institution of Highway Engineers

  27 Earl Street
  Maidstone, Kent ME14 1PE,   England 

  Whitehall Technical Press Limited

  Wrotham Place
  Wrotham, Sevenoaks, Kent ME14 1PE,   England 
• Authors:
  • Croney, D
  • WATKINS, L H
• Publication Date: 1974-7

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 34-44
• Serial:
  • Highway Engineer
  • Volume: 21
  • Issue Number: 7
  • Publisher: Whitehall Press Limited
  • ISSN: 0306-6452

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Axle load force; Commercial vehicles; Development; Environmental impacts; Exhaust gases; Freight traffic; Heavy vehicles; Highway capacity; Load limits; Research; Traffic flow; Traffic noise; Trucks; Vehicle design; Vehicle safety
• Uncontrolled Terms: Articulated vehicles; Research and development
• Old TRIS Terms: Truck effect on highway capacity; Truck noise; Truck pavement damage; Vehicular safety
• Subject Areas: Design; Environment; Freight Transportation; Highways; Motor Carriers; Research; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00081902
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Highway Safety Research Institute
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 22 1975 12:00AM