Method of estimating the volumetric carrying capacity of a truck body

A method for estimating the volumetric capacity of a truck body having a pair of side walls, a front wall and a floor, comprising the steps of:

• (a) establishing a side-to-side profile of a generic load model by extending a load side line upward at a predetermined material angle of repose from the upper edge of each of the side walls of the truck body to a peak;
• (b) replacing the peak of the generic load model side-to-side profile with an side-to-side load plateau profile line of a predetermined width while maintaining the load side lines at the predetermined material angle of repose;
• (c) establishing a front-to-rear profile of a generic load model by extending a front load line upward from the upper edge of the front wall of the truck body at the predetermined material angle of repose and a rear load line upward from at or near a rear edge of the floor of the truck body to a peak;
• (d) replacing the peak of the generic load model front-to-rear profile with a front-to-rear load plateau profile line of a predetermined length while maintaining the front and rear load lines at the predetermined material angle of repose;
• (e) adjusting the final height of the load plateau profile line in the front-to-rear profile and side-to-side profile of the generic load to the lesser of the height of the load plateau profile line in the side-to-side profile as produced in step (b) and the height of the load plateau profile line in the front-to-rear profile as produced in step (d);
• (f) creating a top, profile of the generic load from the side-to-side and front-to-rear profiles of the generic load produced in step (e), the top profile of the generic load having a polygonal-shaped load plateau;
• (g) adjusting the shape of the load plateau by defining a final outer boundary of the load plateau as a closed curve inscribed in the polygonal-shaped load plateau from step (f);
• (h) contouring the side load lines produced in step (a) and the front and rear load lines produced in step (c) below the final outer boundary of the load plateau into a generally conically shaped surface in which the sides of the conical shaped surface are still inclined at the predetermined material angle of repose to form a final three-dimensional generic load model defined by the load plateau from step (g) and where the generally conical shaped surface intersects the side walls;
• front wall and floor of the truck body;
• and
• (i) calculating the volume of the final three-dimensional generic load model.