A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fuldlment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering Johannesburg, 1991 / With increasing competition in the commercial vehicle industry, future vehicle designs need to be able to carry greater payloads within the bounds of existing legislation. Increasing the payload efficiency of transport vehicles involves two main areas: a. Optomizing the size and mass distribution of the vehicle for the purpose intended. b. Keeping the tare mass as low as possible through efficient design and the use of lighter and stronger materials. [Abbreviated Abstract. Open document to view full version] / MT2017