Impact of High-Altitude on Truck’s Climbing Speed: Case study in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Area in China

Abstract

Truck’s climbing performance is an important consideration in traffic safety, efficiency, and highway geometric design. With the infrastructure development in high-altitude area in China, more attention needs to be paid on truck’s climbing performance in such area. In this article, truck’s climbing speed in high-altitude area was examined through field tests on different grade sections at different altitudes. Truck’s speed-distance curves were built at different altitudes and the impact of altitude on truck’s climbing speed was explored based on the test results. It was shown that, within the altitude range of 3000~5000m, altitude had an obvious influence on test truck’s decelerating and accelerating performance. Truck’s speed decreased faster on steep grades and increased slower on gentle grades with the increase of the altitude. Also, the stable speed that test truck could maintain on a certain grade was lower at a higher altitude. In addition, test truck’s theoretical speed-distance curves at the sea level were estimated through truck’s dynamic model. Compared with the theoretical crawl speed, a negative effect of altitude change (from 0 to the altitude above 3000 m) was found on truck’s climbing performance.

Transportation-Related Human Factors in High-Altitude Regions: Review, Needs, and Novelties

“…The influence of the plateau environment on operating speed has been evaluated, and operating speed models for the plateau region in China have been developed [16]. For trucks, Lei et al [17] found that altitude substantially affects the test truck's decelerating and accelerating performance. The truck's speed decreased faster on steep grades and increased slower on gentle grades as the altitude increased.…”