Traffic and Axle Loads

Typical Axle Combinations

Single Axle

Tandem Axle

Tridem Axle

Typical Weight Limits

Weigh Stations

Axle Load Histogram

600

500

Frequency

400

300

200

100

0
3000-6999 7000-7999

800011999

1200015999

1600017999

1800019999

Single Axle Load (lbs)

2000021999

2200023999

2400025999

2600029999

Axle Load Histogram

250

Frequency

200

150

100

50

0
600011999

1200017999

1800023999

2400029999

3000031999

3200033999

Tandem Axle Load (lbs)

3400035999

3600037999

3800039999

4000041999

Standard Axle Load

9 kips

9 kips

Single Axle, Dual Wheels

Source: WSDOT Pavement Guide Interactive CD-ROM

GENERIC METHOD

Mazda Miata

Curb weight = 2300 lb

1
dM
consumption per passage
NM
Assume NM = 12,000,000

Ford Excursion

Curb weight = 6300 lb

1
dF
consumption per passage
NF
Assume NF = 200,000

Standard Vehicle

1
dS
consumption per passage
NS
Assume NF = 1,000,000

Mazda Equivalency Factor

dM 1 NM NS
FM

dS 1 NS NM
1,000,000
0.083
FM
12,000,000

Ford Equivalency Factor

dF 1 NF NS
FF

dS 1 NS N F
1,000,000
5.0
FF
200,000

MECHANISTIC METHOD

Pavement Life (Fatigue)

N f a1 E
Asphalt
Fatigue
Life

a2

Asphalt
Elastic
Modulus

a3

Asphalt
Tensile
Strain

LEF (Fatigue)

N s a1E

LEFi
N i a1E a2 t
a2

s a3
t
i a3

3 a3 6

i
t
s
t

a3

Pavement Life (Rutting)

N f a4 c
Subgrade
Fatigue
Life

a5

Subgrade
Compressive
Strain

LEF (Rutting)

N s a4

LEFi
N i a4 c

s a5
c
i a5

3.5 a5 4.5

i
c
s
c

a5

Pavement Life (Rigid)

Concrete
Tensile Strain

N f 225,000

MOR
Concrete
Modulus of
Rupture

LEF (Rigid)
N s MOR

LEFi

4
N i it MOR

s
t

i
t
s
t

LEF Summary
Measured
Axle Load

Li
LEFi
L18
i
t
s
t

i
t
s
t

i
c
s
c

18-kip
Standard
Axle Load

AASHTO METHOD

Pavement Performance

pi

W
p p i pi p f

failure

pf

Pavement Performance

pi

failure

pf

(failure)

Pavement Performance
W
p pi pi p f
x

pi

pf

failure

Pavement Performance
Wt x
p t p i pi p f

pi

x
p

Serviceability Limit

pt
pf

failure

Wt

Flexible Pavement Performance

Wt x
p t 4.2 4.2 1.5

4.2

x
p

Serviceability Limit

pt
1.5

failure

Wt

Flexible Pavement Performance

Wt x
p t 4.2 4.2 1.5

0.081 Lx L2
x 0.4
5.19
SN 1 L23.23

3.23

10

SN 1 L2
4.79
Lx L2

5.93

9.36

4.33

Flexible Pavement Performance

Wt x
p t 4.2 4.2 1.5

Wt x f p t , x , x

AASHTO LEF

N s Wt18 f pt , 18 , 18

LEF
N x Wtx
f pt , x , x

Flexible Pavement Performance

Wt x
p t 4.2 4.2 1.5

x
4.2 p t Wt x

4.2 1.5 x

4.2 p t
Wt x

log10
x log10

1.5
4.2
x

Gt

Pavement Performance
Wt x
G t x log10

x
Gt

log10 Wtx log10 x

log10 Wt x log10 x

Gt

Pavement Performance
log10 Wtx log10 x

10

log10 Wt x

10

log10 x

Gt

Wt x x10 x

Gt

Gt

x
x

AASHTO LEF

LEF

Wt18
Wtx

1810
x10

Gt

Gt

18
x

18

10
x

LEF ex EALF

Gt Gt

18 x

AASHTO LEF
This is the equation in the textbook

Wt x
Gt Gt
log
log x log 18
x 18
Wt18

e not e

NOTE : this is log 1

Rigid Pavement Performance

Wt x
p t 4.5 4.5 1.5

x
3.63 Lx L2
x 1.0
8.46
D 1 L23.52

5.20

10

5.85

D 1

7.35

Lx L2

L2

4.62

3.28

Rigid Pavement Performance

Wt x
p t 4.5 4.5 1.5

x
4.5 p t Wt x

4.5 1.5 x

4.5 p t
Wt x

log10
x log10

5 1.
5
4.
x

Gt

TRUCK LOAD FACTORS

Equivalent Single Axle Loads

12,000

32,000

ESAL = ??

32,000

AASHTO Equivalency Factors

Equivalent Single Axle Loads

0.189

0.857

ESAL = 1.903

0.857

Axle Load Histogram

600

500

Frequency

400

300

200

100

0
3000-6999 7000-7999

800011999

1200015999

1600017999

1800019999

Single Axle Load (lbs)

2000021999

2200023999

2400025999

2600029999

Axle Load Histogram

250

Frequency

200

150

100

50

0
600011999

1200017999

1800023999

2400029999

3000031999

3200033999

Tandem Axle Load (lbs)

3400035999

3600037999

3800039999

4000041999

Single Axles
Load Group
(lbs)

Axle Count
per 1000 trucks

LEF

ESALs

3000-6999

557

0.005

2.79

7000-7999

140

0.027

3.78

8000-11999

493

0.088

43.38

12000-15999

154

0.360

55.44

16000-17999

75

0.796

59.70

18000-19999

33

1.24

40.9

20000-21999

1.83

9.15

22000-23999

2.58

5.16

24000-25999

3.53

3.53

26000-29999

5.39

5.39

TOTAL =

229.2

Tandem Axles
Load Group
(kips)

Axle Count
per 1000 trucks

LEF

ESALs

6000-11999

227

0.010

2.3

12000-17999

162

0.037

6.0

18000-23999

108

0.150

16.2

24000-29999

140

0.429

60.1

30000-31999

58

0.757

43.9

32000-33999

25

0.97

24.3

34000-35999

1.23

7.4

36000-37999

1.54

4.6

38000-39999

1.89

1.9

40000-41999

2.29

2.3

TOTAL =

169.0

Average Truck Load Factor

ESALs 229 169

Tf

0.40
Vehicles
1000

FHWA Truck Classes

FHWA Class 4

Source: WSDOT Pavement Guide Interactive CD-ROM

FHWA Class 5

Source: WSDOT Pavement Guide Interactive CD-ROM

FHWA Class 6

FHWA Class 7

FHWA Class 8

Source: WSDOT Pavement Guide Interactive CD-ROM

FHWA Class 9

Source: images.encarta.msn.com

FHWA Class 10

Source: WSDOT Pavement Guide Interactive CD-ROM

FHWA Truck Classes

Class

Type

EALF

Motorcycles

negligible

Passenger Cars

negligible

Other Two-Axle, Four-Tire Single Unit Vehicles

negligible

Buses

0.57

Two-Axle, Six-Tire, Single Unit Trucks

0.26

Three-Axle Single Unit Trucks

0.42

Four or More Axle Single Unit Trucks

0.42

Four or Less Axle Single Trailer Trucks

0.30

Five-Axle Single Trailer Trucks

1.20

10

Six or More Axle Single Trailer Trucks

0.93

11

Five or Less Axle Multi-Trailer Trucks

0.82

12

Six-Axle Multi-Trailer Trucks

1.06

13

Seven or More Axle Multi-Trailer Trucks

1.39

Typical Traffic Data

Source: WSDOT Pavement Guide Interactive CD-ROM

WSDOT Simplified System

WSDOT Category

FHWA Classes

Assumed EALF

Single Units

4, 5, 6, 7

0.40

Double Units

8, 9, 10

1.00

Trains

11, 12, 13

1.75

Daily ESALs = 0.40(single units) + 1.00(double units) + 1.75(trains)

Source: WSDOT Pavement Guide Interactive CD-ROM

TDOT Simplified System

Vehicle
Type

FHWA
Class

Flexible
EALF

Rigid
EALF

Cars & Motorcycles

1, 2

0.001

0.001

Pickups, Panel Vans

0.004

0.005

Buses

0.300

0.300

2-axle, 6-tire Singles

0.170

0.170

3-axle or more Singles

6, 7

0.700

1.000

4-axle Combos

0.700

0.780

5-axle or more Combos

9 -11

1.100

1.780

Design ESALS
Average
Daily Traffic
(two-way)

Truck Load
Factor

Lane
Distribution
Factor

ESAL 365 ADT T Tf D L G

Percent
Trucks

Direction
Distribution
Factor

Growth
Factor

Design ESALS
Truck Load
Factor

Lane
Distribution
Factor

ESAL 365 ADT T Tf D L G

Average
Daily Truck
Traffic

Direction
Distribution
Factor

Growth
Factor

Design ESALS
Direction
Distribution
Factor

Truck
Load
Factor

ESAL 365 L D Nm Tm Gm
i1

Lane
Distribution
Factor

Daily
Truck Count
(two-way)

Growth
Factor

Traffic Growth
COMPARISON OF GROWTH IN VOLUME AND
LOADINGS ON THE INTERSTATE SYSTEM
PERCENT GROWTH (3-YEAR MOVING AVERAGE)

700
600

RURAL
AVERAGE DAILY
LOAD

500
400
300

RURAL
AVERAGE DAILY
TRAFFIC

200
100
0
70

72

74

76

Source: Truck Weight Study and HPMS

78

80

82

84
YEAR

86

88

90

92

94

96

98

00

02

Growth Factor

1 g 1
n

for g 0

Lane Distribution Factors

Number of Lanes
in Each Direction

Percent of Loads
in Design Lane

100

80-100

60-80

50-75