Citation

Chandra S, Mehndiratta H. Indian Highw. 2000; 28(8): 17-22.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000, Indian Roads Congress)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The only effective way to compare the damaging effect of traffic on given roads is to measure the complete spectrum of axle loads and calculate the appropriate equivalence factors. This paper discusses the equipment, methods, applications, and case studies of axle load surveys on Indian roads. Axle loads and gross vehicle weights can be measured by static or dynamic methods. In a static method, vehicles are stopped to measure their axle loads; the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) portable weighbridqe and the wheel weighing pad are often used for this purpose. In a dynamic method, axle loads are measured without stopping the vehicle or diverting it from other traffic; weigh-in-motion (WIM) technology has many advantages and several types of dynamic weighing equipment are now available worldwide. The AASHTO Road Test shows that the damaging effect of axles on both concrete and flexible pavements is approximately proportional to the fourth power of the axle load, and establishes the relative damage caused by a wide range of axle loads. Bhalla and Sarin and the Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) have both collected data on the spectrum of axle loads on Indian National Highways. These results are especially useful, because overloading of lorries is common in almost all countries, including India.