While truck tracking characteristics are a primary consideration for intersection geometry and curve widening practices, most road geometric design standards, and particularly alignment design standards, are based on the performance characteristics of passenger cars and car drivers. However the question must be asked whether it is still logical to design for cars if trucks represent a much higher proportion of the vehicle mix than the common figure of 10 percent. If the obvious answer to this question is "Yes", then the next question becomes "At what point between these two extremes does it become economically viable to design for trucks rather than cars?" In response to these questions Austroads sought to derive truck-based geometric design standards, and establish the traffic volumes and mix at which the adoption of such standards is economically warranted. This paper summarises the results of the research and discusses what needs to happen in order to test these results in the design office. (Author/publisher) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD abstract no. E208431.
Samenvatting