Back to Resources

Research Report 231 Increase in mass limits effect on pavement wear – stage 2

Published: | Category: Activity management , CAPTIF , Research programme , Research & reports | Audience: General

To improve the efficiency of the road transport industry in New Zealand, a range of mass limit increases for heavy vehicles has been proposed.

Some of the options for mass increases include increasing the axle load limit, which would inevitably lead to increased road wear.

As New Zealand has a mass-distance road user charging regime where the users pay for the road wear they generate, this increased wear is in itself not a problem provided that the charges accurately reflect the wear.

At present, road user charges are based on the fourth power law, which was developed from the AASHO road test carried out in the United States in the 1950s. The pavements and vehicles used for that test differ considerably from those in use in New Zealand today.

To determine the effects of increases in mass limits on pavement wear, a multi-stage accelerated pavement testing programme was undertaken at the Canterbury Accelerated Pavement Testing Indoor Facility (CAPTIF) between 1999 and 2001.

Stage 1 investigated the effect of increase in mass limits on pavement life on four sections that differed only by aggregate type.

This report documents stage 2 of the project and investigates the effect of increase in mass limits on the life of a chipseal surfacing.

For comparing the effects of an increase in mass limits, the axle load on one wheel path was 80 kN, while the load on the other was increased to 100 kN. 

Accelerated pavement test report series

Research Report 207 Effect on pavement wear of an increase in mass limits for heavy vehicles

  • Investigates the effect of increase in mass limits on pavement life on four sections that differed only by aggregate type.

Research Report 231 Increase in mass limits effect on pavement wear – stage 2 (report on this page)

  • Investigates the effect of increase in mass limits on the life of a chipseal surfacing.

Research Report 279 Effect on pavement wear of increased mass limits for heavy vehicles – stage 3

  • Aims to accurately predict road wear from various levels of loading.

Research Report 280 Effect on pavement wear of increased mass limits for heavy vehicles – stage 4

  • Assesses the effects on pavement and surfacing life, should an increase in mass limits for heavy vehicles be allowed. 

Research Report 281 Effect on pavement wear of increased mass limits for heavy vehicles – concluding report

  • Represents the analysis of results of the study.

Keywords: accelerated pavement testing, CAPTIF, heavy vehicles, loads, loading, mass limits, pavement, pavement loading, pavement performance, pavement wear, roads, road user charges, surface texture, thin-surfaced pavements, traffic, vehicles

Publication details

  • Author:
  • Published: 2003
  • Reference: 231