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Pot
Hole Truck Accident
A tractor trailer was traveling
through a construction zone when it hit a very
large, 12 inches wide by 14 feet long, pot hole in
temporary asphalt in a roadway diversion within the construction zone. The right
front steering axle wheel hit the pot hole in the construction zone. The driver claimed
he
lost control of the steering and ended up trapped
when the tractor flipped onto it side and crushed
the driver compartment. The right side of the
tractor and steering axle which struck the pot hole
is shown in Photograph A.
Photograph A
The left, or driver side, of the
tractor trailer after the accident is shown in
Photograph B.
Photograph B
The allegation was that lack of
or improper maintenance of the vehicle steering and
spring system resulted in a loose connection in the
right front leaf spring assembly. Upon impact with
the pot hole, the right front wheel and steering
axle moved rearward, causing a loss of steering control
resulting in loss of vehicle control and flipping of
the tractor and trailer onto its side. A view of the
end of the right side fuel tank confirmed that the
right front steering axle tire had moved rearward
and had carried and trapped the "mud flap" into the front of the
fuel tank. Photograph C shows the tire tread
"witness mark" or "evidence finger print" to that
event.
Photograph C
Examination of the right front
leaf spring assembly confirmed that the "U" bolts
were deformed and that the leaf spring assembly had
moved rearward and displayed some rearward
displacement post accident. The bent "U" bolt and
rearward displaced leaf spring assembly are shown in
Photograph D.
Photograph D
A view of looking up at the
displaced right leaf spring assembly is shown in
Photograph E.
Photograph E
An arrow marks the sheared leaf
spring to pillow block "keeper pin." The sheared keeper pin is
displaced about 3 1/2 inches rearward, post
accident.
A close-up view of the sheared
"keeper pin" is shown in Photograph F. A white arrow
points at the sheared "keeper pin."
Photograph F
One or more attending experts
wanted to measure the nut "breakaway torque." As can be
seen, the rear "U" bolt is highly deformed (see
arrow) as shown in Photograph G.
Photograph G
A close-up view of the nut and
threaded end connection of the deformed "U" bolt
shown in Photograph G is shown in Photograph H.
Photograph H
An uneven gap, resulting from the
formation of the "U" bolt, is easily discernable.
The gap between the nut and the washer is denoted
with a white arrow. Such a gap would make "breaking
torque" measurements meaningless.
Following review of the evidence,
the plaintiff changed courses in the litigation and
this investigation was terminated..
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Dr.
R. Craig Jerner, Ph.D., PE specializes in accident
investigation and metallurgical failure analysis,
with over 30 years experience as a metallurgical
consultant and accident investigator. He has
testified as a metallurgical expert in over 250
depositions and more than 70 court appearances. If you or someone you know should need the services of Dr. Jerner and J.E.I. Metallurgical, please visit our web site at the buttons below, or e-mail Dr. Jerner --- 