Permission to deliver an “abnormal load”

By: Mark Bentley

Encon Associates, a company of Environmental Consultants based in Nottingham, England, were commissioned by Klaus Sørensen Transport, a haulage company based in Denmark, to assist them with a transportation problem.

KS Transport had been refused permission to transport an unusually large load consisting of a 36.6- x 1.50- x 4.20-meter steel cylinder with a total weight of 59 tons through the streets of Aberdeen, Scotland. The load needed to be delivered to the Aberdeen shipping dock for transport overseas. The Local Authority in Scotland had asked for evidence to demonstrate that the load could actually be delivered safely and could maneuver through four potential “pinch points” along the proposed route to Aberdeen Docks.

Encon Associates often provide “swept-path analysis” drawings utilizing Transoft Solutions’ AutoTURN CAD software to demonstrate the maneuverability of vehicles and the suitability of proposed highways to accommodate vehicular access. However, on this occasion, Encon Associates faced a rather more unusual challenge than a standard articulated vehicle.

The truck to be used was a fairly standard Volvo FH16, however; the complications in tracking the vehicle began when the client explained that the load would be maneuvered with an independently steered tri-axle “doll trailer.”

Encon Associates contacted Transoft Solutions, which was able to create a “bespoke” vehicle for use in the AutoTURN software. By utilizing the independent rear--steering feature within the software, Encon was able to successfully demonstrate that the load could be maneuvered without a problem through the streets of Aberdeen.

Permission was finally granted by the local authority, and the load was successfully delivered to the docks for shipping overseas.