| Heavy Vehicle Safety Research Since its establishment in April 2000, the Heavy Vehicle Safety Research Center (HVSRC) has worked to develop technologies that will enhance the safety of heavy vehicles operating on our nation’s highways. The Center takes a holistic approach in technology development, allowing its technologies to be more readily deployable. Its research contributes to national transportation goals, such as reducing truck-related fatalities and maintaining the economic viability of the U.S. trucking industry. Research Focus In its first year, HVSRC focused its efforts on the safety of integrated brake systems. Since then, the main focus of HVSRC has expanded to include impacts that energy efficiency technologies, such as aerodynamics, may have on heavy truck safety. HVSRC researchers look at the safety impacts of driver-in-the-loop technologies, including driver workload and attention. HVSRC has also expanded its focus to infrastructure issues such as work zones, congestion and regulation. Expertise Heavy vehicle experience at HVSRC draws on significant, heavy vehicle-specific expertise from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the University of Tennessee (UT). ORNL’s expertise in material characterization is being used to establish qualification procedures and to evaluate the performance of replacement brake materials. ORNL and UT’s systems integration capabilities are enabling the development of performance based brake testing equipment and the development of heavy vehicle drive cycles. In addition, HVSRC draws on expertise from other national labs, including the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory, and Argonne National Laboratory. R&D Facilities To facilitate HVSRC activities, NTRC has laboratory space that
can accommodate two Class 8 tractor-trailers. A proof of principle
performance-based brake tester was constructed and is being evaluated
by NTRC researchers. When necessary, the Center also uses other
ORNL and UT facilities, such as the ORNL High Temperature Materials
Laboratory. These include:
HVSRC has access to the Commercial Vehicle Operations (CVO) Laboratory at NTRC. CVO equipment includes an 80,000-lb pit reference scale and prototype weigh-in-motion systems. There are also specialized computing capabilities, routing/planning software, loading software, and multi-vehicle tracking systems available. The CVO corridor also boasts a large bay door (20x18 ft) and open floor space (4,000 ft2) so that a heavy truck can be driven into/through the lab for testing. The space was specifically designed to allow two Class 8 trucks to be parked inside this laboratory. HVSRC has undertaken research on heavy-vehicle safety challenges of both national and strategic importance. The Center provides unique research capabilities, as well as solutions to critical heavy-vehicle safety problems. The Center’s researchers have a close working relationship with inspection and weigh stations in the region, including the weigh station on Interstates 40 and 75 in Knoxville, TN, the second busiest weigh station in the U.S. The roadside testing lab provides researchers with the opportunity to study safety inspection techniques practiced at truck stops and will be performed in conjunction with the inspection station on Interstate 81 in Tennessee. The Center’s researchers also have access to sensor and radio frequency identification (RFID) technologies for the study of sensor techniques and RFID capabilities that may be used to improve the efficiency of weigh station checks. Partnerships and Collaborations Research at HVSRC includes both basic and applied vehicle safety research for government, private industry, and joint government/industry consortia. HVSRC has formed strategic partnerships, coordinating the use of research capabilities throughout the U.S. In addition, its researchers support national programs and initiatives such as the Intelligent Vehicle Initiative, the 21st Century Truck Partnership, and the Future Combat System.
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