AN INVESTIGATION OF ROAD DAMAGE DUE TO MEASURED DYNAMIC TYRE FORCES

A portable mat for measuring the dynamic tyre forces of commercial veh icles is described. The mat is 56 m long, 13 mm thick, and has 141 cap acitative strip sensors, spaced at 0.4 m intervals. The accuracy of th e mat for measuring dynamic tyre forces generated by heavy commercial vehicles is assessed using an instrumented vehicle. The measured dynam ic wheel loads generated by 14 articulated vehicle configurations (thr ee tractors with five trailers) are assessed in terms of a variety of road damage criteria. The results are used to investigate the effects of vehicle configuration, vehicle dynamics, speed, road strength, and road damage criteria on the relative theoretical road damage caused by the vehicles. Conclusions are drawn about tests for measuring and ass essing the road-damaging potential of heavy lorries.