Performance of Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) Sensors in Rigid and Flexible Pavements and Guidelines for Recommended Pavement Thickness
Publication: International Conference on Transportation and Development 2022
ABSTRACT
The performance of a WIM site mainly depends on sensor technology, pavement conditions, calibration, and maintenance practices. An adequate pavement structure is required to install and accommodate WIM system sensors throughout their service life. WIM sensor manufacturers suggest that the plate-based sensors [load cells (LC) and bending plate (BP)] should only be installed in Portland cement concrete (PCC) pavements, while the linear or strip type sensors [such as polymer piezo (PP) or piezo cable (PC), and quartz piezo (QP)] could be installed on both PCC and asphalt concrete (AC) pavements. This paper evaluates the influence of pavement surface thickness on WIM accuracy data for different sensor types and suggests adequate thicknesses for WIM stations installed in PCC and AC pavements based on the data. Data from ninety-four (94) WIM stations in the United States and Canada are used for WIM accuracy and pavement thickness analyses. For 18 sites, BP sensors are installed in PCC pavements. Out of 29 total QP sensor sites, 6 and 23 had PCC and AC pavements. In contrast, 19 PC sites have PCC pavements, and the remaining 28 sites have AC pavements. The results show that BP sensors can be installed in 10 in. or thicker PCC slabs to yield ASTM type I accuracy. Irrespective of pavement type, 8 in. or above (PCC or HMA thickness) is recommended for QP sensors to obtain highly accurate WIM data. No consistent trends were observed for PC sensors, as the sites showed significantly higher gross vehicle weight error even after calibration in both AC and PCC pavements.
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International Conference on Transportation and Development 2022
Pages: 224 - 232
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Published online: Aug 31, 2022
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