Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Facts on CTI and the Environment
By using the right tyre pressure for each terrain, load, and speed, there are significant environmental benefits. Correct pressures and CTI reduce tyre use significantly, reducing both the environmental impact from their manufacture, and the problem with disposal. Softer tyres reduce impact loads on trucks and trailers, reducing vehicle wear, damage, and repairs. By increasing the life of the vehicles, we are reducing the environmental impact of each vehicle, from the mining of the raw material to the power required in manufacturing. Lower tyre pressures reduce the need and cost of roads. The added traction means steeper grades can be used, lessening the length of many roads. The reduced road damage means less gravel and rock is needed to stand up to the job. The reduced road damage and the self healing ability of low pressure tyres mean less road maintenance is required. And, by spreading the load over a larger area, much less silt and dust is created, improving the life of our streams, rivers, and catchment zones. Plants near the roads also benefit, as do humans who live close by. The benefits are significant:
*Reduced road maintenance by up to 80% NATC
*Dramatic reductions in sediment from road surfaces with lower pressures
*Reduced road surface sediment an average of 80% over 3 years Lowell Oregon tests
*Significant potential for reducing road costs.
*Road maintenance savings in the order of 80%
*Extend hauling operation because of less damage
*Reduction in sediment of 84% USDA FS 1994
*1399.7 kgs of sediment from the highway tyre pressure, and only 176.2 kg from CTI USDA FS
*“Estimates indicate a savings of over $20,000,000 annually if only a small proportion of the agencies road system could be traveled with CTI equipped vehicles” USDA FS Implementation plans
*“25% reduction in surfacing materials required” USDA FS I P
*“2 to 1 reduction of sediment loss, establishes the use of CTI as a real tool for reducing environmental damage” USDA FS
*Lower pressures reduced flats from 5 to 7 per week to 0 in 10 weeks Olympic Nat For.
*Lower pressures required no road maintenance in 3 weeks, compared to normal maintenance of every 2 to 3 days, Olympic National Forest Tests
*No washboarding (corrugations) Olympic
*CTIS would improve the health and alertness of operators, and extend the time that they could effectively and safely operate the vehicle, USDA Agric. Research
*Decrease in drive tyre wear of 90% Feric
*Rolling Resistance on soft ground reduced to less than half. University of Hamburg
*Retreads use 7 gallons of oil to remanufacture, versus 22 gallons for a new tyre. Tire Retreaders Bureau
*Proper tyre inflation would save 25,000 lives each year NHTSA
*Truck component damage reduced by as much as 85% Nevada Automotive Testing
*Best Management Practices can prevent or minimize the impact of forestry activities on rivers, lakes, streams, groundwater, wetlands, and visual quality. University of Minnesota discussing CTI
*Reduced sediment by an average of 80% USDA April 1995
*133 mm depth of rut with high pressure, 8 mm depth with CTI USDA Forest Service
*Traffic on CTI section generated 46% less fines, 1076 kg compared to 1980 kg. USDA Forest Services.
*Oregon test; three year average soil loss was 177 kg with CTI compared to 893 kg for highway pressure. USDA
Results in reduction of sediment with CTI:
*Corvallis, Oregon 81%
*Collowee North Carolina 77%
*Campinas, Brazil 68%
*Sinaia, Romania 70%
*Corvallis, Oregon 81%
*Collowee North Carolina 77%
*Campinas, Brazil 68%
*Sinaia, Romania 70%
I believe that a truck fitted with AIR CTI would halve it’s impact on our world.
