EVALUATION OF HANDLING AND BRAKING CHARACTERISTICS OF HEAVY VEHICLES. PROCEEDINGS OF STRATEGIC HIGHWAY RESEARCH PROGRAM AND TRAFFIC SAFETY ON TWO CONTINENTS, GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN, 27-29 SEPTEMBER, 1989

In the years past, quite a number of relevant test procedures including appropriate criteria of description and evaluation respectively have been developed to objectively describe and assess handling and braking characteristics of passesnger cars and passenger car-trailer combinations. These test procedures are basically available to commercial vehicles and combinations as well provided that either the starting conditions or the criteria of description are adapted to the special features of this particular class of vehicles. With regard to the various design principles of commercial vehicles and the ever increasing advances of vehicle combinations ensuring optimum utilisation of cargo space i.e. single trucks or buses, truck-trailer combinations, semi-trailer combinations, articulated buses and short coupling truck combinations, the handling characteristics of these vehicles are definetily more distinct from each other. The application of suitable test procedures on the one hand gives the feasibility to classify new vehicle combinations in comparison with existing designs and on the other side to optimize handling and braking characteristics in respect to increased traffic safety. Within this paper test and measuring procedures generally applied to evaluate handling and braking characteristics of heavy commercial vehicles will be described. By measurements taken by the authors for a double-decker and a high-decker coach , a 16-t truck, two 7.5-t trucks and a special type 38-t semi-trailer combination significant measuring variables are pointed out which can be used for evaluating the handling characteristics of the specific vehicle type.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/03476030
• Corporate Authors:

  Swedish National Road and Traffic Research Institute

  Drottning Kristinas Vaeg 25
  S-11428 Stockholm,   Sweden 
• Authors:
  • Schindler, A
  • ROMPE, K
• Publication Date: 1990

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References;
• Pagination: p. 115-135
• Serial:
  • VTI Rapport
  • Publisher: Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI)
  • ISSN: 0347-6030

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Articulated buses; Automobiles; Braking; Buses; Commercial vehicles; Commodities; Freight transportation; Handling characteristics; Tractor trailer combinations; Trailers; Trucks
• Uncontrolled Terms: Handling
• Subject Areas: Freight Transportation; Highways; Motor Carriers; Public Transportation; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00494084
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Swedish National Road and Traffic Research Institute
• Report/Paper Numbers: 351A, HS-040 861
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 30 1990 12:00AM