CE 453 Lecture 6

Design Vehicle
 Design Vehicle
► Design Vehicle – largest (slowest, loudest?)
vehicle likely to use a facility with
considerable frequency
► Three characteristics that affect almost all
aspects of highway design
 Physical
 Operating
 Environmental

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 Physical Characteristics
► Type (GB defines 20 design vehicle types)
 Passenger Car P
 Buses B
 Trucks SU, WB
 RVs
 Farm tractor

► Size
 Length
 Height
 Weight
 Width
 Height of driver’s eye (car: 3.5’ – avg., truck: 7.6’ – high side)
 Center of mass
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Dimensions of Design Vehicles

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 Operating Characteristics

► Acceleration
► Deceleration and braking
► Power/weight ratios
► Turning radius
► Offtracking
► Headlights (2’ … truck
driver/retroreflectivity?)
► Friction (ball bank) http://www.cable-car-guy.com/images/ih_truck_ad_dec_1926.jpg

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 Environmental Characteristics

► Noise (noise meter)

► Exhaust
► Fuel Efficiency
► Dust (particulate and VOCs from tires and
brakes)

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 Selection of Design Vehicle
► Key Controls
 Physical and Operating
► Key Factors
 Proportion and Frequency
► Key Types
 Car – parking lot
 SU Truck – res. Intersections, park roads
 City Bus – state hwy, city street, bus route
► See
http://www.pacebus.com/sub/guidelines/development_guidelines/ta
ble%20of%20contents.htm for Chicago’s PACE design guide
 School Bus – low vol county, state hwy
 WB series – freeway ramp, arterial and state hwy, industrial
areas, US and Interstate Highways

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 State and Local Truck Limits
► See Colorado Truck Legal Dimensions
► See
http://www.dot.state.ia.us/mvd/omve/truckguide.
pdf for Iowa Truck Guide
► See http://www.co.jasper.ia.us/new_page_7.htm
for Jasper County permit requirements

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 Turn Paths

► Key variables in turn paths

 Centerline turn radius
 Out-to-out track
 Wheelbase
 Path of inner tire
► SeeAutoturn Software Page
http://www.transoftsolutions.com/transoft/p
roducts/at/product_feat.asp
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Minimum
Turning
Radii

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 Offtracking

► Rear wheels do not follow path of front

wheels
► Increases with size of vehicle
► Decreases with radius of curve

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 Front Overhang and Difficulty
Adjustment (Z)
► Radial distance between outside front wheel
path and outside front bumper/fender

► Extra width allowance (Z) for difficulty in

maneuvering

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Total widening recommended (includes front overhang, offtracking and difficulty adj.)

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Double for 4 ln undivided. Values less than 2’ may be neglected.
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 Widening
► Widen inside only when not using spiral
(split even if using spirals)
► Paint CL and joint at middle of pavement
► Transition over superelevation transition
► Green book terminology:

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Effect of grade on truck performance

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Effect of grade on RV performance

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Effect of differential speed on crash rate

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 Critical Grade
►% AND length of grade where “typical”
trucks can maintain a “safe” speed
See also: Highway
Capacity Manual

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Friction

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