Lightweight Trucks Research Articles

Optimum Design of Brake Pedal for Trucks Using Structural Optimization and Design of Experiment Techniques

Along with the recent developments and innovations in the automotive and heavy vehicle industry, the performance requirements such as fuel efficiency, emissions reduction, low manufacturing cost, etc., keep in-creasing day by day. In order to have a place in the world market, it is es-sential to meet these requirements. Along with the other strategies, vehi-cle weight reduction is one of the most critical strategies in the heavy ve-hicle industry. This paper aims to obtain an optimal design of a truck brake pedal by employing topology and shape optimization. To accom-plish this goal, the material used for an existing brake pedal is unchanged as this study focuses on reducing the weight of the existing brake pedal without material substitution. The rough dimensions of the brake pedal are designed by inspiring the results of the topology optimization. To de-termine the precise dimensions of the brake pedal design of experiment (DOE) and shape optimization studies are conducted respectively. Wall and flange thickness are defined as variable parameters for the DOE. Three different values are selected for each design parameter. Stress analyses are conducted by using the finite element method for nine cases. As a result of the studies mentioned so far, two responses are obtained. In order to obtain minimum weight value, which is possible shape optimiza-tion is performed by using fmincon function in MATLAB®. As a result of the study, the mass reduction of the brake pedal is %50, and it is shown that the developed method can be used to design a lightweight truck brake pedal.

Simulation of Light-Weight Truck LF3070G1’s Tire Dynamics

Being accurately analyses of the dynamics of automotive tires is essential for a wide range of technologies. There are two primary aims of this study: 1. To investigate the use of a Finite Elements Method (henceforth, FEM) in the light-weight truck’ tire (LF3070G1) 2. To implement in Ansys Workbench software in the simulation. Two analyses of the tire dynamics were used. The first analysis was used when the tire is statically balanced between supporting the vehicle weight and the internal air pressure. The second analysis includes the dynamical balance while the vehicle is operating at different weight loads. Each analysis includes two parts. The first part was the mode shapes and the natural frequencies of the tire since it has an influence on the tire’s stiffness and damping constant. The second analysis employed numerical simulations and it was carried out to determine the tire’s time-dependent maximum deformation.

Estimation of emission of tire wear particles (TWPs) in Korea

Tire wear particles (TWPs) were one of the source categories of microplastics, and some countries consider it the largest. In the case of Korea, the number of vehicles per a kilometer of road is the highest among 30 OECD countries. Therefore, the concentration of TWPs is considered high. This study aims to estimate TWPs emission factor by using warranty period of tire, driving distance per vehicle per day, weight of tire, and ratio of weight loss of tire, and then, suggests TWPs emission amount by using annual driving distance and emission factor of TWPs of each type of vehicle.As a result, the emission factor of TWPs in Korea appeared as in the following: 45–57 mg/vehicle·km (average 51.1 mg/vehicle·km) for passenger cars, 224 mg/vehicle·km for lightweight trucks, 799 mg/vehicle·km for buses, and 949 mg/vehicle·km for heavyweight trucks. The total amount of TWPs to be generated in a year was calculated as 51,795–54,581 tonnes/year (average 53,188 tonnes/year). The amount of TWPs appeared in the order of heavyweight trucks, buses, passenger cars, and lightweight trucks; the contribution of tires of each type of vehicles, to the emitted amount of TWPs, appeared with insignificant differences.

Material Selection and Structural Optimization for Lightweight Truck Trailer Design

Members of the Centre for Sustainable Road Freight and from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (Grant Reference EP/K00915X/1)

On the ambiguity of the impact of restricting the entry of heavy vehicles on the environmental situation in the metropolis

The calculation of indicators of heavy truck pollutant emissions for the implementation of the plans to restrict movement of heavy vehicles in the city of Krasnoyarsk (with arrangement of transshipment terminals at the entrance to the city for further transshipment of the delivered goods on lightweight trucks) has been made. The results demonstrate that the fuel consumption for the cargo delivery immediately depends on the truck load carrying capacity. The dependence of fuel consumption on the vehicle carrying capacity is close to linear. The restriction to intercity entry of heavy vehicles may lead to an increase in emissions of hazardous substances from the trucks by 2-18 thousand tons per year. The authors draw a conclusion that more comprehensive analysis of the potential adverse effects of restricting heavy trucks to enter the city is required.

Numerical Analysis of Deck Frame for Lightweight Trucks

Numerical Analysis of Deck Frame for Lightweight Trucks

MIXI: Mobile Intelligent X-Ray Inspection System

A novel, low-dose Mobile Intelligent X-ray Inspection (MIXI) concept is being developed at RadiaBeam Technologies. The MIXI concept relies on a linac-based, adaptive, ramped energy source of short X-ray packets of pulses, a new type of fast X-ray detector, rapid processing of detector signals for intelligent control of the linac, and advanced radiography image processing. The key parameters for this system include: better than 3 mm line pair resolution; penetration greater than 320 mm of steel equivalent; scan speed with 100% image sampling rate of up to 15 km/h; and material discrimination over a range of thicknesses up to 200 mm of steel equivalent. Its minimal radiation dose, size and weight allow MIXI to be placed on a lightweight truck chassis.

Association knowledge for fatal run-off-road crashes by Multiple Correspondence Analysis

In 2013, 346 out of 616 fatal crashes in Louisiana were single vehicle crashes with Run-Off-Road (ROR) crashes being the most common type of single vehicle crash. In order to create effective countermeasures for reducing the number of fatal single vehicle ROR crashes, it is important to identify any associated key factors that can quantitatively assess the performance of roads, vehicles and humans. This research uses Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA), a multidimensional descriptive data analysis method that associates a combination of factors based on their relative distance in a two dimensional plane, to analyze eight years (2004–2011) of fatal ROR crashes in Louisiana. This method measures important contributing factors and their degree of association. The results revealed that drivers of lightweight trucks, drivers on undivided state highways, male drivers in passenger-vehicles at dawn, older female (65–74) drivers in non-passenger vehicles, older drivers facing hardship to yield in partial access control zones, and drivers with poor reaction time due to impaired driving were closely associated with fatal ROR crashes.Results of the MCA method can help researchers select the most effective crash countermeasures. Further work on the degree of association between the identified crash contributing factors can help safety management systems develop the most efficient crash reduction strategies.

Lightweight Chassis Frame for Lightweight Trucks

Lightweight Chassis Frame for Lightweight Trucks

Lightweight Chassis Frame with Independent Wheel Suspension for Lightweight Trucks

Lightweight Chassis Frame with Independent Wheel Suspension for Lightweight Trucks

Death and injury from motor vehicle crashes in Israel: epidemiology, prevention and control.

Death and motor vehicle crash (MVC) rates per 1000 vehicles and kilometres travelled in Israel (1977) exceed those of all western countries, despite low numbers of young and intoxicated drivers. Increased casualties have resulted from expansion of driver and vehicle populations offsetting a decline in crash risk. Time data indicate casualty crash trends reflect trends in traffic volume, and that night time case fatality rates (CFR) are high. Place data indicate that more than three quarters of all crashes occur in cities, mostly involving pedestrians, but the majority of deaths result from higher speed inter-urban crashes, mostly of 2-vehicle type, and not as intersections. The rates for deaths per 100 crashes are 4- and 8-fold higher in inter-urban than urban crashes for occupants and pedestrians, respectively. Vehicle data indicate high MVC risk from careless driving, probably speeding in taxis, and point to the need for occupant protection standards in light weight trucks and pick up vans. Human data indicate that 92% of drivers in MVCs are male. The risk of involvement is high for drivers aged 18 and drops at aged 55. Pedestrian accidents resulted in 48.1% of all dead, and included large numbers of young and elderly. Reduction in inter-urban private motor vehicle travel and in speeds at which crashes occur are suggested as swift and effective measures to reduce death and injury. Low cost strategies include air bags and other occupant protection standards and more seat belts. Prevention of pedestrian accidents requires a variety of measures to reduce vehicle-pedestrian conflicts.

A New Transit Propulsion Unit Suspension—Proved on Northeast Corridor High-Speed Test Cars

A new concept in the suspension of transit propulsion units has evolved from the emphasis on new developments, such as the San Francisco BART and the Northeast Corridor high-speed projects. Designed for the new generation of transit cars, battered and modified during operation at speeds up to 150 mph on Department of Transportation cars, this suspension arrangement has proved itself at speeds up to 150 mph. It reached fruition in time to be applied to the transit cars now being built for operation at 100 mph. Correcting deficiencies in the old design for lightweight, inboard journal trucks—motor and gear unit bolted solidly together, driving the axle through, and supported on rubber around the axle—yet retaining the principle of floating the motor in rubber to isolate it from rail shocks, this new propulsion-unit arrangement has successfully permitted car operating speeds to double, from 75 to 150 mph, in one jump. Propulsion units and lightweight trucks should never again be considered separately for speeds over 75 mph. They are married into a system and must be analyzed as a system. This paper tells how and why.