The effect of freight operations on the performance of light road pavements

This paper reviews the effect truck operations have on light road pavement performance, and contains discussion of the problem of the attribution of road costs. The life expectancy of a road pavement is highly sensitive to the load level for which the pavement was designed. Overload is perhaps the most important factor influencing pavement performance, and it is thus essential that load limit regulations be enforced effectively, as this can lead to a significant long term improvement in the performance of many existing road pavements. Certain factors to be considered in pavement design are discussed, and an application of pavement design methods for a particular road presented. Road pavement damage and the allocation of pavement costs to different types of vehicles are also discussed, and the urgent need for data explained.