Vehicle for dynamic calibration of a multiple sensor weigh-in-motion system

摘要

This article is an abstract of two papers presented in March 2004 at the 8th International Symposium on Heavy Vehicle Weights and Dimensions, Johannesburg South Africa. It deals with the building and use of a special calibration vehicle by Kalibra International B.V. International and domestic goods transportation by road is an important part of the Dutch economy; 173,000 trucks transport 600 million tonnes annually [CBS, 2000]. Truck traffic in particular is burdening the infrastructure. The number of trucks and the truck axle loads are the major determinant for the degree of maintenance required, as there is a progressive (4th order) relationship between an axle load and the damage that this axle load causes to the road surface. A disproportionately large percentage of the damage to the infrastructure is caused by trucks with axle loads higher than the legal maximums. The direct costs for additional asphalt maintenance are roughly estimated at around Euro 17 million per annum for Dutch highways alone. This excludes the costs resulting from additional hindrance to traffic (including traffic jams) caused by road works. Moreover, the policy of the Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management is also aimed at stimulating fair competition between companies. Finally, overloading of one or more axles of a truck or the whole vehicle is also likely to have a negative effect on traffic safety.