2022 Volume 22 Issue 1 Pages 51-58
This paper concerns the λ-type enforcement braking device (EBD), which aims the traffic accident prevention. The device is supposed to be installed in a road construction region, according to the actual traffic-lane regulations. We contend, the forced halting of an automobile by means of EBD, would result in the significant increase of drivers’, pedestrians’ as well as road construction workers’ safety. The ongoing improvement of EBD mechanisms concerns their performance, structural optimization as well as continuing efforts to reduce the braking distance. In a consequence, our previous report tackled the influence of the arm-shape and arm-length on braking characteristics, while the present one discusses the role of the connecting height of the arm to the mast on the EBD’s operation. Simple model collision tests and theoretical calculations based on the principle of energy conservation were utilized in our study, which in turn, made us to conclude that the breaking distance remains unaffected by the arm shape. We found, however, the reduction of breaking distance markedly dependent on the length of the arm, which extends and completes our previous article. The collision tests concerned three selected velocities of a vehicle and a simple model of EBD with long-arm. We demonstrate that changes in the connecting height of the arm in the λ-type EBD, substantially affect the braking characteristics.
