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Technical Paper

Offtracking: History, Analysis, and Simulation

2000-03-06
2000-01-0465
Offtracking is the term used to describe the difference in path radii between the leading and trailing axle of a vehicle as it maneuvers around a turn. This phenomenon probably has been observed from the time multi-axle vehicles first were constructed. As vehicles, particularly articulated trucks, have become larger and longer, and the urban environment has become more compact and crowded, practical safety concerns relating to offtracking have increased. The geometric design of streets and highways, and of parking lots and trucking yards, will be affected by the maximum offtracking of vehicles using those facilities. In some accident investigations, offtracking is a primary consideration. Much of present offtracking analysis is based upon a “zero-speed” assumption. In other words, the magnitude of offtracking is computed simply as a kinematic problem, with no dynamic effects considered.
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