Research on the influence of pavement unevenness on heavy vehicles' axle loads variations with the use of TSD deflectometer

Abstract

The article presents the results of research on the relation between the technical condition of the pavement, expressed by the International Roughness Index, and heavy vehicles' axle loads variations. To this end, Traffic Speed Deflectometer has been used, which records such parameters as a longitudinal profile of the pavement, and the measurement axle loads. Based on the data collected during routine measurements, sections representative for the study have been selected, and the selected data has been subjected to statistical analyses. Both the results of the evenness measurements and the associated axle loads of the vehicle have been taken into consideration. The problem of longitudinal evenness was discussed in the context of the pavement condition assessment, and the degree of correlation of the IRI index with the recorded axle loads of the measuring vehicle was determined. A quantitative evaluation of the impact of unevenness on the vehicles axle loads was determined, supplemented with an analysis of asphalt pavement durability changes based on the obtained data.