Transport Vehicle Maintenance Optimization

Abstract

The successful maintenance of transport vehicles in operable condition is facilitated by the proper assessment of their technical condition and forecasting its changes. The efficient operation of vehicles is only achieved if the changes in the engine load in the forecast cause changes in the dynamics of technical condition parameters. Besides, forecasting can help reduce vehicle repair costs. The forecasts are based on vehicle component, assembly, and subsystem failure statistics over a certain period. We must understand that the overall failure values include both gradual and sudden ones. While classifying failures as gradual or sudden when performing repairs is not challenging, forecasting sudden failures is quite difficult. We suggest failure forecasting methods based on the statistical sampling and in line with the following assumptions: Gradual failures are associated with the intensive operation of vehicles and their changes are proportional to the changes in vehicle operation duration. Sudden failures do not depend on the vehicle workload but have an inverse effect on it: the more sudden failures there are, the less useful work vehicles can perform. Thus, it is possible to describe the changes in gradual and sudden failures over time. It can expand the theoretical understanding of vehicle operation and provide repair forecasting tools to operators and maintenance companies.