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.
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.
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.
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.
As HVSRC activities expand, consideration is being given to building
one or more new experimental capabilities at the NTRC.
These include:
- Test cells for a 4-wheel chassis dynamometer,
- A brake material characterization dynamometer, and
- An 80-foot flat-plate performance-based brake tester.
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.
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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