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Using lift axles enables fleet to increase the load capacity of a vehicle, eliminating the need for multiple trips, thus reducing operational costs. In a project to assess the potential of reducing fuel consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by lifting axles on unloaded semi-trailers, lift axle regulations in various jurisdictions and the studies that led to these regulations were analyzed. The SAE Fuel Consumption Test Procedures Type II (J1321) was used for fuel consumption track test evaluations. The tests were conducted on unloaded two-axle van semi-trailers, four-axle van semitrailers, and B-trains, and resulted in fuel savings of 1.3% to 4.8%, depending on vehicle configuration and the number of axles lifted during the test.

The main objective of this project was to compare the fuel consumption and dynamic performances of direct-drive and overdrive transmission tractors. Fuel consumption was evaluated at constant high speed and on various road profiles, while the dynamic performance was assessed on various road profiles only. The SAE Fuel Consumption Test Procedure (J1526) was used for constant high speed fuel consumption track test evaluations. The direct-drive transmission tractor consumed less than the overdrive transmission tractor, even though it was heavier. The testing on various road profiles was conducted using a towing dynamometer, for comparing the dynamic capability of the tractors when simulating the same towing load on two hilly road profiles: the Townes Pass path (in the Rocky Mountains) and the Saguenay path (in the Saguenay region of Quebec). Each tractor was to haul the set load along the given path while trying to attain 90 km/h speed.

The negative effects of long-term exposure to soot and particulate matter emissions from diesel exhaust on the human health have been widely acknowledged due to the harmful substances that exhaust gas contains. Regulators have established strict programs to determine the performance and reliability of emissions after-treatment systems and devices. Tests were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of three diesel particulate filter (DPF) cleaning methods: 1) thermal and pneumatic cleaning, 2) ultrasonic cleaning, and 3) aqueous cleaning methods. A novel non-destructive method to quantify soot and ash deposits in the filters was developed, validated and used to determine the effectiveness of the identified cleaning methods. Given the number of different cleaning methods available, testing against a set of standard parameters provided accurate comparative results.