This report reports the results obtained so far in the German project THESEUS, whose objective is to generate measures designed to improve tank trucks transporting hazardous substances. The project is investigating the safety of the whole system consisting of vehicle, tank components and safety devices, partners and kinds of accidents. Relevant accident statistics and analysis of accidents by teams within the project will create the parameters for the experimental and theoretical investigations. Crashes will be simulated with original tank vehicles in the form of vehicle to vehicle impacts and overturning tests. The experimental simulation of the overall vehicle is supplemented by systematic tests of tank components by investigation of the behaviour of the walls under punctate and flat load. These investigations should lead to sound, simplified test methods for the approval of tanks. The experiments will be accompanied by numerical calculations. In addition to the above, the driving behaviour of tank vehicles will be investigated by using driving maneuvers such as steady state turning, step steering input, and sinusoidal steering input. The most important parameter to be varied will be the loading condition of the tank vehicle.
Samenvatting