Traffic safety issues of special wheeled vehicles

Abstract: This article addresses issues related to the safety of military wheeled vehicles. The content of the article provides a literature review of research conducted with the participation of military wheeled vehicles. The basis for the conducted analyses are the results of experimental and simulation studies contained in the publications. The issues raised are closely related to vehicle safety, hence the title of the article. The results of the analysis may be useful for the Armed Forces and the defense industry. Measurable effects include increasing vehicle safety and the associated reduction in the risk of road accidents, reducing the costs of building military wheeled vehicle applications, reducing the costs of making any changes to series-produced vehicles, and obtaining optimal designs in terms of safety for the needs of the Polish Armed Forces.
1. INTRODUCTION
At present, the development of armed forces in NATO member countries and in Europe, and consequently the type of equipment used and its traction properties, are mainly dependent on the type of conflict in which individual armies are involved. As of today, most military operations consist of stabilization missions and actions in which one side fights the other using all available means and methods. Unfortunately, various forms of terrorism that disregard humanitarianism or the laws of war are attacking more and more often. Building different versions of vehicles, not only military ones, on a base chassis is a commonly used practice.
The development of new wheeled vehicle designs by manufacturers involves the necessity of traffic safety research. In order to avoid them, tests on prototype vehicles, which are both very expensive and dangerous for people, are usually performed. Creating new vehicle designs should not be associated with a deterioration in their safety. A particular danger for the crew is associated with the vehicle rolling over onto its side. Vehicles with an unusual design, with a high center of mass, are particularly susceptible to such accidents. When building versions different from the base ones, or modernizing vehicles, design and operational changes are introduced that affect steerability and stability. Unfortunately, the needs of military operational activities often force the construction of vehicles under time pressure. (…)

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