LOW-CLEARANCE VEHICLES AT GRADE CROSSINGS

A literature review revealed there are no general highway design standards aimed at providing adequate ground-clearance on highways. Similarly, there was a lack of data relative to the magnitude of the low-clearance vehicle incident problem and on low-clearance vehicle characteristics. Low-clearance vehicles, including heavy trucks plus light trucks and automobiles with trailer combinations, comprised 2 percent of the traffic stream. Based on the field data, a design low-clearance vehicle was proposed whose dimensions are a 36-ft wheelbase and 5-inch ground clearance. These represent the 85th percentile of the low-clearance vehicle dimensions collected. Microcomputer software was developed to simulate the movement of trucks over high roadways so that any highway engineer can analyze low-clearance problems.

• Corporate Authors:

  University of Virginia, Charlottesville

  Center for Transportation Studies, P.O. Box 400742
  Charlottesville, VA  United States  22904-4742
• Authors:
  • Eck, R W
  • Kang, S K
• Publication Date: 1991-6

Media Info

• Pagination: 192 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: At grade intersections; Highway design; Low floor vehicles; Road construction; Vehicle design
• Old TRIS Terms: Grade crossing /highways/; Low clearance vehicles
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00619531
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: MAUTC-UVA05-0191
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 29 1992 12:00AM