×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Low-boy trailer vertical curve design

Low-boy trailer vertical curve design

Low-boy trailer vertical curve design

(OP)
We need to design an access ramp into a site with a 15.5' vertical drop to accomodate a 63' long lowboy trailer.  We need some dimensions of tractor/trailer combinations depicting ground clearance, vertical transition and turning radii.

RE: Low-boy trailer vertical curve design

That is info you'll have to get from the trailer manufacturer.  Most "low boy" trailers do not have sliding axles, so their positions will be fixed.  The tractor rear tandem will also be fixed; however, most "5th wheels" have some limited adjustment, but not enough to affect the necessary grade change.

It will make a difference whether you are talking about a true lowboy trailer (used for heavy equipment hauling) or a drop center trailer (also used for equipment hauling, but can be used for container transport).  A drop center trailer actually separates into two pieces and is driven onto from the front; whereas, a lowboy is accessed by rear drive on ramps.

A 63-foot trailer is a long trailer.  Probably requires a special permit.

RE: Low-boy trailer vertical curve design

(OP)
Thanks Ron, they will be installing a large crawler crane on the site, probably take 11 trailer loads to complete the crane

RE: Low-boy trailer vertical curve design

So similar to making sure I design a driveway to make exotic cars able to get into their new house.

Did you try contacting the manufacturer for a simple CAD profile of the trailer?  I am sure most companies are pretty willing to do that.

I know we were designing a steeper than normal access road for golf carts and a particular manufacturer was very willing to help.

Civil Development Group, LLC
Los Angeles Civil Engineering specializing in Hillside Grading
http://civildevelopmentgroup.com
http://civildevelopmentgroup.com/blog

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources