Safe transport of cargo by road vehicles is an essential element of logistics supply chains. Transported goods are subject to transport hazards and also pose a threat to their surroundings.
The nature and scale of the danger depend on the type and transport form of the cargo, the means of transport, and the methods of securing the cargo for transport. Many of these hazards are dynamic, resulting from the action of inertial forces, and static, caused by the influence of gravity. The article will present issues related to minimizing mechanical hazards resulting from improper cargo placement on a road vehicle.
Forces acting on the transported cargo
The cargo acts on its surroundings only with the force of its weight if the vehicle is moving at a constant speed in a straight line. Disturbing the constant nature of the vehicle’s movement (e.g., through braking, accelerating, changing lanes) causes the appearance of inertial force, with which the cargo acts on its surroundings. In road transport, the inertial forces with which the cargo acts on the vehicle can be very large and almost equal to the weight of the cargo. […] Proper cargo securing and smooth driving, without sudden changes in trajectory and speed, will cause the cargo to act on the vehicle body with small forces. A loaded vehicle must not exceed the maximum permissible axle loads and the gross vehicle weight (GVW). It is also necessary to take into account the minimum loads on individual axles to ensure proper stability and steerability of the vehicle. Improper placement of cargo on the vehicle can cause a change in the position of the center of gravity of the cargo and the vehicle-cargo combination. As a result, this can lead to a disruption of the proper axle load of the vehicle, and thus to the creation of a situation threatening road safety. One of the most common accidents caused by improper load distribution is vehicle rollover.
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Source: Logistyka Magazine