Swept Path Analysis

What is a Swept Path Analysis?

Vehicle manoeuvring is often an overlooked factor when designing car parking areas or properties in general, but when it isn't accounted for early in the design process, designs can need significant and costly alteration at later stages. A swept path analysis, done at the right time, assists both during design development and in responding to a Request for Further Information (RFI) issued by council upon submission of a Planning Application.

A swept path assessment is a diagram, or collection of diagrams, showing the path taken by a vehicle when undertaking manoeuvres such as three-point turns, U-turns or right turns. These diagrams mimic the path followed by the body and chassis of the vehicle, confirming vehicles can stay clear of fixed objects and other road users. Australian Standards AS2890.1 (Off-Street Parking) and AS2890.2 (Off-Street Commercial Vehicle Facilities) are of particular importance to vehicular movements, alongside Clause 52.06 of the Planning Scheme, which specifies further guidelines relating to car parking space, accessway and ramp gradient design.

Why is a Swept Path Analysis important?

Traffic engineers use swept path analysis to simulate and demonstrate how vehicles will access, egress and turn around within car parking areas, verifying that a car park and driveway design generally complies with these standards. For multi-unit residential developments with narrow accessways in particular, councils will often issue an RFI requesting swept path diagrams demonstrating that vehicles (including an appropriate clearance) can enter and exit the site in a forward direction, which is exactly what a swept path analysis is used to prove.

Factors such as vehicle speed, vehicle type, accessway width and even external conditions like weather affect the outcome of a swept path assessment, so a worst-case scenario is presented in each analysis. Traffic engineers use software packages such as AutoTURN (Transoft Solutions) and Vehicle Tracking (Autodesk) to develop swept path diagrams, using a base drawing from your architect and a library of template vehicle types specified in AS2890.1 and AS2890.2.

When used correctly and at the right stage of a project, a swept path analysis can maximise the space available for your building and avoid costly design alterations later. We often advise architects, town planners and developers to bring a traffic engineer in early, simply to confirm vehicle movements can be undertaken successfully; a few hours spent early in a project can end up saving substantial redesign costs.