Concerns about growing governmental budgetary deficits and the awareness of the economic advantages associated with a safe and well-maintained road infrastructure are two of the main reasons for devoting attention to better understanding the problem of pavement wear caused by heavy road vehicles. The objective of this report is to conduct a review of the present and previously developed work devoted to the study of vehicle/road interaction. In particular, two of the most pressing questions that are to be answered in the area of heavy vehicle-generated road damage deal with the spatial repeatability of dynamic wheel loads produced by heavy road vehicles due to different types of suspension systems and the use of wide-base and dual tires. The outcome of this review, which is a part of the Federal Highway Administration Truck Pavement Interaction research program on truck size and weight, plays a determining role in assessing heavy truck suspension systems, tire configurations, and their contribution to pavement damage. (Author/publisher)
Abstract