Cost allocation implications of dynamic wheel loading

Abstract

Recovery of agency costs in the provision of highway infrastructure is achieved through the process of highway cost allocation. Cost responsibilities are usually assigned to various highway users in terms of the relative consumption of the infrastructure. The implications of knowledge of dynamic wheel load for assigning cost responsibilities is presented. Pavement and vehicle characteristics are shown to have noticeable effects on the cost shares between different vehicle configurations and operating weights. Heavy vehicles equipped with road friendly air suspension systems are responsible for joint pavement costs that are about five percent less than those equipped with steel spring suspensions when operated at similar speeds, payload and on identical pavement conditions. Given that road and bridge–friendly suspension systems are becoming increasingly popular, cost allocation in terms of dynamic loads provides a fair basis for assigning costs to heavy trucks.