| Photo of the month – December 2004 | [German version] |
"Unloading" 24 t of chipboard
The Werneck intersection. An articulated truck loaded with 24 t of chipboard was traveling along the A70 highway towards the A7. It was raining. The truck was carrying two packages of chipboard. The packages were around 2.30 m wide. It’s no longer possible to tell whether the load was loaded as a tight fit or not. Each package of chipboard was secured with two lashing belts with standard load ratchets with a lash capacity (LC) of 2500/5000.
Figure 1
The driver of the truck intended driving onto the A7 towards Fulda. To do this he needed to take the first slip road from the A70 to the A7. He appears to have missed this. Right at the last minute, he spotted the slip road and attempted to turn off. Because he was driving too fast and attempted to turn too late, he ran out of road and the truck hit a sign.
Figure 2
The "sudden" turn had an effect on the load. It set centrifugal forces loose. The load securing measures – two tie-down lashings for each package of chipboard – were both unsuitable and inadequate. The centrifugal forces caused the load to slide to the left, and as a result the truck tipped over.
Figure 3
The accident resulted in a complete write-off of the trailer and considerable damage to the truck tractor. The driver escaped with injuries.
The best way of securing loads of this type is as a tight fit. If this is not possible, direct securing in the form of loop lashing should be used. Tie-downs are unsuitable, particularly for stacked boards, since it is not possible to use friction-enahncing materials sensibly.
Figure 4
Figure 5
Back to beginning