Investigators:
Dr. Franklin Gbologah, Georgia Tech
Dr. Michael O. Rodgers, Georgia Tech
Hanyan “Ann” Li, Ph.D. Student, Georgia Tech
Project Overview:
HDV fuel consumption contributes about 25 percent of the operating costs of American trucking companies. HDV reliance on petroleum-based fuel has associated societal and environmental costs; the second largest contributor of transportation greenhouse gas emissions and the largest source of Oxides of Nitrogen (a precursor to the formation of ozone, which is harmful to humans, plants, and animals). The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) identified the use of Low Rolling Resistance (LRR) tires as an effective method of reducing vehicle fuel consumption, especially from heavy-duty vehicles (HDV). However, fleet adoption of LRR tires has been slow, due to potential performance uncertainties under real-world operating conditions. Previous models designed to help fleet operators estimate the impact of LRR adoption on their operations have suffered from poor accuracy because they do not account for inherent transient speed profiles in real-world operations.
This research develops and implements a new tool for fleet managers that better predicts the benefits of LRR tires for both constant and transient speed operations. The tool predicts benefits of fuel-saving and related avoided emissions. It uses empirical models to estimate the benefits as a function of vehicle characteristics, operating cycles, and route characteristics. The empirical models were developed with data generated by simulating real-world heavy-duty vehicle operating cycles with Autonomie®, an advanced design model for automotive control-system design, and simulating vehicle energy consumption and performance. Verification analysis of the developed tool shows an average percentage error of less than 6.5 percent. To facilitate ease-of-use by stakeholders, the empirical models have been transformed into a Microsoft Excel® spreadsheet tool.
You can download the spreadsheet tool by clicking the link immediately below.
Download HDV Low Rolling Resistance Tire Fuel and Emission Reduction Calculator.
The main project report can be downloaded on the website of the National Center for Sustainable Transportation (NCST). The link to project report is below.