DETERMINATION OF TIMING AND LEVEL OF SEASONAL WEIGHT LIMITS. PRESTUDY

PAINORAJOITUKSEN AJOITUKSEN JA SUURUUDEN MAARITTAMINEN. ESISELVITYS

Seasonal weight limits are applied in Finland during spring thaw period to prevent thaw damage on light surfaced or gravel roads. The weight limit is determined, in general, according to the local conditions to mainly concern earth aggregate or wood transport. The weight limit criteria and operation has been found to vary greatly between regions. In this report, the development and estimating of frost and thaw penetration are studied for timing the risk of thaw damage and better specifying the weight limit period. Methods to investigate the pavement and subgrade and local road conditions are described as well as the procedure, timing and analysis of the pavement modulus measurement. Rutting and resulting pavement damage during the deep thaw weakening can be simulated with deformation models. The traffic loading data during thaw period was seen to be non-specific and deficient, and the procedure should be developed further. Finally, the principles of setting seasonal weight limits in Minnesota and currently in Finland are described. The possibilities of improvement in specifying the timing and level of weight limits are discussed. In appendix, a preliminary study on the cost-effectness of weight limits is presented, as well as project proposals for the future development work.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/9518032238
• Corporate Authors:

  Finnish Road Administration

  Opastinsilta 12 A, P.O. Box 33
  Helsinki,   Finland  FI-00520
• Authors:
  • Saarelainen, S
  • TORNQVIST, J
• Publication Date: 2004

Language

• Finnish

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: 63p+18a p.
• Serial:
  • TIEHALLINNON SELVITYKSIA, FINNRA REPORTS
  • Volume: TIEH 3200858
  • Issue Number: 8
  • Publisher: Finnish Road Administration
  • ISSN: 1457-9871

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Deformation; Freight transportation; Frost; Loss and damage; Low volume roads; Rutting; Spring; Thaw; Ultimate load design; Weight
• Geographic Terms: Finland
• ITRD Terms: 1614: Damage; 5595: Deformation; 8035: Finland; 1112: Freight transport; 2585: Frost; 6452: Limit; 2774: Low traffic road; 3081: Rutting (wheel); 2533: Spring (season); 2589: Thaw; 5485: Weight
• Subject Areas: Design; Freight Transportation; Hydraulics and Hydrology;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00984489
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
• ISBN: 951-803-223-8
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Jan 7 2005 12:00AM