This paper describes the features and capabilities of FAMLIT, which was developed under an Austroads sponsored project. This tool allows the user to investigate the impacts of changes in road freight task, heavy vehicle fleet and axle loading considering pavement type and variables that affect performance. Using a life cycle costing approach, the user can assess the associated economic impacts (agency and user costs and benefits) at network and route levels. A unique feature of the tool is the fleet modelling function where the user can model representative fleets for different road types and determine wear caused by each vehicle operating under different mass limit regulatory frameworks. The impacts of freight task growth and step changes in traffic volume and composition can be also simulated. Pavement deterioration and work effects models are calibrated for the three most common sealed pavement types in Australia. FAMLIT allows the user the flexibility to apply different maintenance strategies for the base case and two alternative scenarios. Potential applications of FAMLIT outputs include assessing the capacity of each link in the network, setting maximum axle mass limits for each link and determining road wear unit costs by link and pavement type. (a) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD abstract no. E217099.
Abstract