How to avoid jack-knifing your truck
Wednesday, August 29, 2012 - 06:00
in Physics & Chemistry
Jack-knifing is a major cause of devastation in a road traffic accident involving articulated trucks. Researchers in Greece have now designed a device to prevent this often lethal action of such vehicles. Writing in the International Journal of Vehicle Systems Modelling and Testing, the team describes the modelling and testing of a sliding kingpin device that allows the so-called kingpin junction between the front "tractor" and the trailer to slide along the rear tractor axle and preclude the jack-knifing motion of the trailer relative to the tractor.