HERCULES (completed)

The logistics of large-volume and heavy transports (GST) requiring a permit are associated with a high expenditure of time and money, and not infrequently also with disruptions to traffic. In order to minimize these disruptions, the HERCULES project initiated by the Department of Traffic Engineering and Transport Logistics is being funded as part of the mFUND initiative of the German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure.

In order to ensure more efficient dispatching, handling and monitoring of approved large and heavy transports, this project aims to develop a cloud-based Internet service for forwarders, carriers and those involved in safeguarding. An intelligent fusion of different information sources and a fast backend shall provide a reliable data exchange in real time. The constant overview of the course of the GST can both minimize the restrictions of the traffic flow and ensure a faster reaction to short-term changes, thus avoiding serious obstructions of the GST as well as the other traffic.

At the Department of Traffic Engineering and Transport Logistics, a HERCULES app is being developed that provides all relevant information so that large-volume and heavy-load transports can be carried out more reliably and economically for all parties involved. For this purpose, the app accesses both static and dynamic infrastructure and event data. This gives freight carriers and all others involved an overview of the route before and during the GST and of any special situations that may arise at short notice. In addition, the app provides data on the basis of which the traffic management center grants the approved GST a special clearance window when approaching traffic signals. Intersections and bottlenecks can thus be passed with minimal disruption and energy consumption.

The HERCULES app is first developed in the laboratory based on a simulation of the residual system. In the subsequent field testing, all system functions are tested, tried and evaluated in interaction with the real roadside and central components of the overall system.