AutoTURN Online Help
The user is responsible for applying engineering judgment in interpreting and using program results. Familiarity with the software and its limitations is therefore important to ensure that the results produced by the software are applied appropriately.
AutoTURN Online is not intended to be a source for design information. The software must be used in conjunction with the most currently available design guidelines for the local jurisdiction.
When designing/analyzing with AutoTURN Online, users must understand that the vehicles are created using idealized values to represent as closely as possible the outlines of real vehicles. The characteristics of the vehicles, such as the articulation angles, are also represented by idealized values.
The parking standards supplied in AutoTURN Online reflect the standards that were available when AutoTURN Online was released. Every effort has been made to ensure AutoTURN Online uses the most up to date parking standards information. For a list of the parking standards sources please see Parking Standards.
AutoTURN Online is primarily a kinematic model, meaning that it does not account for the forces resulting from vehicle inertia or road surface conditions other than dry pavement.
AutoTURN Online produces geometrically idealized results that may be difficult to replicate exactly under actual field driving and road conditions. A simulation performed successfully in AutoTURN Online does NOT suggest that all drivers can follow the defined path in real conditions, NOR does it imply that other driveable paths between the desired start and end positions are not possible.
For the above reasons, AutoTURN Online results should be used conservatively, with ample allowances added for clearances between vehicle tire track or swept path envelopes and road edges or obstructions.
Turn limitations for standard design vehicles are generally based on the minimum turn radius as specified in the design guidelines for each jurisdiction. These are generally intended for speeds of less than 15 km/h (about 10 mph).
For AUSTROADS vehicles, turn limitations are based on the absolute minimum radii, which are for speeds less than 5 km/h.
If non-standard vehicle types, roadway surfaces other than dry pavement, or other unusual or non-standard conditions are used, AutoTURN Online may produce inaccurate results. Caution is advised when dealing with the following conditions for which program results have not been verified:
It is highly recommended that you obtain as much turning information as possible for non-standard vehicles from manufacturers and other sources so as to be able to verify and draw conclusions about AutoTURN Online's results.
The standard design vehicles provided with AutoTURN Online have turn limitations derived from the turning templates contained in the design manuals published by the corresponding jurisdictions. The primary purpose of these design manuals is to provide guidance for typical road design conditions.
AutoTURN Online does not consider vehicle acceleration or deceleration. When simulations are generated from a stopped position, or to a stopped position, the vehicle is assumed to reach its final speed, or come to a stop, in a short enough distance that it can be ignored when determining the turn radius.