Traffic Characterization

Dr. Christos Drakos University of Florida

Topic 4 Traffic Characterization 1. Introduction Traffic is the most important factor in pavement design; thickness is based on the number of load repetitions (traffic) 1.1 Traffic Characterization Procedures a.

Fixed Traffic:

b.

Fixed Vehicle Traffic:

Thickness governed by single-wheel load (use the highest anticipated load for design) Used for heavy load / low volume pavements (i.e. airfields) Thickness governed by # of repetitions of a standard vehicle or axleload Convert all traffic to 18-kip single axle loads Loads are divided into groups (load spectra) and the corresponding stresses and strains are used for design More appropriate for mechanistic design methods

c.

Variable Traffic and Vehicle:

Topic 4 Traffic Characterization Fixed Vehicle Traffic Design is based on the total number of passes of the standard axle load (18-kip Equivalent Single Axle Load ESAL) during the design period Covert all traffic to the standard axle load (ESAL)

Nd = 1.365 10 9 ( c ) Nf = 0.0796 ( t )
3.291

4.477 0.854

(E1 )

Nd, Nf

= Load cycles to failure = ESAL

Basic premise: Must determine how many 18-kip single axle loads would cause the same damage as one X-kip load How many ESAL does a 24-kip axle amount to?

Topic 4 Traffic Characterization 1.2 Equivalent Axle Load Factor (EALF) a.k.a. (LEF) Defines the damage per pass to pavement by the axle in question relative to the damage per pass of a standard 18-k axle Load Equivalence Factor (LEF) Depends on: Type of pavement Thickness / structural capacity Terminal conditions (definition of failure)
20% of lane area with fatigue cracking inch rutting

Theoretical analysis Nf(18)/Nf(X) Based on experience (AASHO Road Test)

Table 6.4 (flexible pavements) Table 6.7 (rigid pavements)

Topic 4 Traffic Characterization 1.3 Theoretical Analysis to get LEF (Mechanistic)

24-kip
AC BASE SUBGRADE

18-kip
AC BASE SUBGRADE

For the same structure apply 24- & 18-kip load

KENLAYER:
(18-Kip) t = 200 Nf(18) = 1,612,000 (24-Kip) t = 267 Nf(24) = 623,000

So, we can get an equivalent damage factor Nf(18)/Nf(24) = 2.59 It would take 2.59 18-kip load single axles to cause the same damage as one 24-kip axle

Topic 4 Traffic Characterization 1.3 Theoretical Analysis to get LEF (Mechanistic) LEF =
No. of 18k Single Axle Load to cause specific damage No. of Xk Single Axle Load to cause specific damage

Issues with theoretical analysis: Does the LEF change if we modify structural configuration (thickness, modulus, etc.)? Which one is more critical fatigue cracking or rutting analysis? Due to the many factors that influence the LEF, it is almost impossible to select an appropriate a single value that applies to all situations. For a truly mechanistic design method, each load group should be analyzed separately.

Topic 4 Traffic Characterization 1.3 AASHTO Equivalent Factors (Empirical) Wx L18 + L 2s = W18 L x + L 2 x Where: Wx = W18 = = Lx L18 = = L2s L2x =
4.79

10 G x G [L 2 x ]4.33 10 18

EALF =

W18 Wx

L2x = 1 for single axle L2x = 2 for tandem axle L2x = 3 for triple axle (added in the 1986 AASHTO Guide)

axle applications inverse of equivalency factors No of 18kip single axle loads axle load being evaluated (kips) 18 (standard axle load in kips) code for standard axle = 1 (single axle) code for axle load being evaluated

Topic 4 Traffic Characterization 1.3 AASHTO Equivalent Factors (Empirical)

Wx L18 + L 2s = W18 L x + L 2 x

4.79

10G x G [L 2 x ]4.33 10 18

EALF =

W18 Wx

Where: pt = "terminal" serviceability index (point at which the pavement is considered to be at the end of its useful life)

4.2 p t G = Log 4.2 1.5

function of the ratio of loss in serviceability at time, t, to the potential loss taken at a point where pt = 1.5

0.081(L x + L 2 x )3.23 = 0 .4 + 5.19 3.23 (SN + 1) L 2 x

function which determines the relationship between serviceability and axle load applications

Topic 4 Traffic Characterization 1.4 AASHTO Equivalent Factors Example 1

Calculate the LEF for a 30,000 lb single-axle load. The structural number (SN) is equal to three (3) and the terminal serviceability is 2.5. L18 := 18 L2s := 1 W 18 Wx Lx L2x = = = = predicted number of 18-kip single axle load applications predicted number of 30-kip single axle load applications L
30

Lx := 30 L2x := 1

p t := 2.5 SN := 3

= 30

1 (single axle) 18 := 0.4 +

4.2 p t G := log 4.2 1.5

0.081( L18 + L2s) 3.23 ( SN + 1) 5.19 L 3.23 2s G x 10 G 18 10

x := 0.4 +

0.081( Lx + L2x) 3.23 ( SN + 1) 5.19 L 3.23 2x

EALF

W 18 Wx

Wx W 18

L18 + L2s L +L x 2x ( L ) 4.33 2x

4.79

( L ) 4.33 2x

G L + L 4.79 x 18 2s 10 EALF := Lx + L2x G 18 10

EALF = 7.935

Topic 4 Traffic Characterization 1.5 AASHTO Equivalent Factors Example 2

Calculate the LEF for a 40,000 lb tandem-axle load. The structural number (SN) is equal to f ive (5) and the terminal serviceability is 2.5. L18 := 18 L2s := 1 W 18 Wx Lx L2x = = = = predicted number of 18-kip single axle load applications predicted number of 40-kip tandem axle load applications L
40

Lx := 40 L2x := 2

p t := 2.5 SN := 5

= 40

2 (tandem axle) 18 := 0.4 +

G := log

4.2 p t 4.2 1.5

0.081( L18 + L2s) 3.23 ( SN + 1) 5.19 L 3.23 2s G x 10 G 18 10

x := 0.4 +

0.081( Lx + L2x) 3.23 ( SN + 1) 5.19 L 3.23 2x

EALF

W 18 Wx

L18 + L2s W 18 Lx + L2x

Wx

4.79

( L ) 4.33 2x

G L + L 4.79 x 18 2s 10 EALF := Lx + L2x G 18 10

( L ) 4.33 2x

EALF = 2.081

Topic 4 Traffic Characterization 2. Computation of Design ESALs ESAL = Equivalent Single Axle Load ESALs = Cumulative ESALs for all vehicles over the entire design period (we can also calculate ESAL for specific vehicle type) ESALs = (ADT0)(T)(TF)(G)(Y)(D)(L)*365
Where:
ADT0 T TF G Y L D = = = = = = = Initial Average Daily Traffic Percent Trucks (decimal) Truck Factor (decimal) Growth Factor Design Period Lane Distribution Factor (decimal) Directional Distribution Factor (decimal)

Topic 4 Traffic Characterization 2. Computation of Design ESALs Design ESALs:

ESALs = ESAL (i)

i=1

m = vehicle types

Must calculate ESALs for each vehicle type

ESAL(i) = (ADT0)(T)(Ti)(TFi)(G)(Y)(D)(L)*365
New terms: Ti = Distribution of specific type of truck within all trucks (decimal) TFi = Truck factor for the specific truck type (decimal)

2.1 Average Daily Traffic (ADT) Unless otherwise stated, ADT is in all lanes & both directions Also, ADT includes:
Cars Single-unit trucks & buses Multiple-unit trucks

Topic 4 Traffic Characterization 2.2 Average Daily Truck Traffic (ADTT) or (T) Minimum traffic information required for pavement design; everything else can be found in tables Very important in pavement design
Effort to collect actual data Table 6.9; guide to distribution of truck types among total amount of trucks

2.2.1 Example: 4000 ADT ; 20% Trucks; Rural System/Principal Find the # of 2-axle, 4-tire trucks
# 2-axle, 4-tire trucks = (4000) (0.2) (365)
ADT T

Topic 4 Traffic Characterization

Topic 4 Traffic Characterization 2.2 Average Daily Truck Traffic (ADTT) or (T) Minimum traffic information required for pavement design; everything else can be found in Tables Very important in pavement design
Effort to collect actual data Table 6.9; guide to distribution of truck types among total amount of trucks

2.2.1 Example: 4000 ADT ; 20% Trucks; Rural System/Principal Find the # of 2-axle, 4-tire trucks
# 2-axle, 4-tire trucks = (4000) (0.2) (365) (0.6) =175,000/year
ADT T Table 6.9

Topic 4 Traffic Characterization 2.3 Truck Factor (TF) Sum of ESALs divided by the number of trucks weighed (count of trucks, not axles) TF = ESALs # of Trucks
What is the importance of TF? Less # of trucks More severe loads

For the same ESALs; if TF increases

If less # of trucks produce the same ESALs

Single TF can be applied to all trucks (weighed average); or separate for each truck type if the growth rates are different Table 6.10 (Truck Factors) If we use all trucks, we do not have to calculate ESALs for each truck type

Topic 4 Traffic Characterization

Topic 4 Traffic Characterization 2.4 Directional Distribution (D) Usually assume D = 0.5 Where could that be different? 2.5 Lane Distribution (L) Function of ADT & # of lanes (Table 6.14)
Outer traffic Center traffic Inner traffic

We design for Outer Lane, but everything is built the same Inner Lane usually underloaded

Topic 4 Traffic Characterization 2.6 Growth Rate Factor (G) Assuming a yearly rate of growth (r)

G=

1 Y 1 + (1 + r ) 2

Asphalt Institute (Table 6.13); (G)(Y) combined

Topic 4 Traffic Characterization 2.7 Example 1

4-lane Rural/Principal 4000 ADT 20% Trucks 20-year design; r=4% Determine the ESALs for 2-axle, 6-tire trucks

ESAL(i) = (ADT0)(Ti)(TFi)(G)(Y)(D)(L)*365 Distribution of trucks (Table 6.9) Ti = 10% (for 2-axle, 6-tire) * 20% (trucks) = 0.02 Truck factor (Table 6.10) TFi = 0.25 Growth (Table 6.13) GY = 29.78 Lane Distribution (Table 6.14) L = 0.94 ESAL(i)=4000*0.02*0.25*29.87*0.5*0.94*365 = 102,175 ESALs/20 years

Topic 4 Traffic Characterization 2.8 Example 2

4-lane Rural/Principal 4000 ADT 20% Trucks 20-year design; r=4% Determine the total ESALs

ESALs = (ADT0)(T)(TF)(G)(Y)(D)(L)*365 Trucks T = 20% (trucks) = 0. 2 Truck factor (Table 6.10) TF = 0.38 ESALs = 4000*0.2*0.38*29.87*0.5*0.94*365 = 1.55*106 ESALs/20 years