COST 323
Weigh-in-Motion of Road Vehicles
Chairman: Mr Bernard Jacob (F)
Laboratoire Central des Ponts et Chaussées
Fax: +33 1 40 43 54 98
E-mail: jacob@lcpc.fr
Vice-Chairmen:
Mr Bill Newton (UK)
Transport Research Laboratory
Fax: +44 1344 77 09 18
E-mail: billn@e.trl.co.uk
Mr Eugene O'Brien (IRL)
Trinity College - Department of Civil, Structural & Environmental Engineering
Fax: +353 1 608 34 41
E-mail:ejobrien@tcd.ie
Scientific Secretary:
European Commission
Fax: +32 2 296 37 65
E-mail: COST-Transport@ec.europa.eu
Duration
4.5 years to November 1998
Participation
18 COST countries: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, United Kingdom
Objectives
To define pan-European requirements for weighing vehicles while in motion, and for the development of associated systems. To evaluate their performances by testing, to develop pre-standardisation specifications for such systems and to ensure that the information is disseminated to the appropriate users.
Programme/Deliverables
- Information gathering and analysis, and definition of the weigh-in-motion (WIM) requirements of the various interested parties in Europe.
- An extensive trials programme aimed at evaluating existing and experimental WIM equipment.
- Creation of a pan-European database of WIM sites containing selected statistical information.
- Organisation of European WIM Conferences aimed at encouraging a high level of interaction between interested parties in order to improve decision making.
- Development of a pan-European specification for WIM procedures and systems which takes into account input from the above activities.
- There will be substantial interaction with international programmes such as OECD/DIVINE and SHRP, and decisions made in these areas will be taken into account.
Background
Axle loadings, and the weight of heavy goods vehicles, are responsible for a large proportion of the damage to road structures, and contribute significantly to fatigue in roads and bridges. Overloaded vehicles also contribute to traffic safety problems and disturbance fair competition between operators at modal and intermodal level. Vehicle loading information is therefore required to optimise the design of vehicles, roads and bridges, and also maintenance operations. There is also a need for overload pre-selection and enforcement.
Benefits to Different Users
Traffic Monitoring and Statistical Survey: 80% of freight transport in Europe is by road, and has increased over the past 20 years. Statistics on vehicle loads and flows are important to both government and industrial decision-makers. They are particularly useful:
- as indicators of economic activity
- in providing tools to evaluate demand for road infrastructure
- for identification of vehicle design requirements
Road Infrastructure Design: Traffic load information is very important for decision-making in pavement and bridge design. The evaluation of, for example, long-term maximum bridge loadings throughout Europe, is partially based on the available WIM data (as in the conventional load model for Eurocode 1, Part 3). Also, fatigue damage and cracking in pavements, steel bridges, bridge components, etc. are mainly caused by lorry/axle loads. Relatively, high accuracy WIM data is very useful in this area.
Enforcement Systems: Those responsible for ensuring the durability of infrastructure need to ensure user compliance with loading rules. This is also a factor in ensuring fair competition between companies and between transport modes. The demand for effective devices for overload pre-selection, and further enforcement, is increasing rapidly. However, the required accuracy is much higher than for previous applications, and involves individual measurement as opposed to statistical samples. New techniques are therefore developed, capable of greater independence from the dynamic effects of vehicle infrastructure interaction. Enforcement organisations and public and private sector road operators will obtain significant benefit from these developments.
The Way Forward: The market for WIM systems in Europe is developing rapidly, with technology improvements playing a significant role. There are already a substantial number of manufacturers and suppliers in the market, employing a growing number of people. New needs and users are being identified, such as the possibility of using WIM in road pricing. COST 323 provides a number of WIM market related benefits, of which some of the most significant are:
- a trials programme, including the provision of confidential test results to those involved
- generation of specifications for future systems, and information to improve those in existence
- specification of procedures for future research work.
Related activities
Publications
Pre-proceedings of the First European Conference on Weigh-In-Motion of Road Vehicles
Manuscript completed in March 1995
1995 - 466 pp. - 16.0 x 24.0 cm
Post-proceedings of the First European Conference on Weigh-In-Motion of Road Vehicles
Manuscript completed in 1995
1995 - 359 pp. - 16.0 x 24.0 cm
ISBN 3-9521034-0-3
Also available in French and German
[Copies of both may be ordered from:
Att: Mrs Hoerner or Mr Caprez
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology
Hönggerberg, HIL D14-2
CH-8093 Zürich]
Pre-proceedings of the Second European Conference on Weigh-in-Motion of Road Vehicles
Manuscript completed in August 1998
1998 - 488 pp. - 17.6 x 25.0 cm
ISBN 92-828-3676-2 - EUR 18488 - Price: EURO 53
Proceedings of the Second European Conference on Weigh-in-Motion of Road Vehicles
Manuscript completed in 1999
1999 - 123 pp. - 17.6 x 25.0 cm
ISBN 92-828-3677-0 - EUR 18488 - Price: EURO 20
Actes finaux de la deuxième conférence européenne sur le pesage en marche des véhicules routiers
Manuscript completed in 1999
1999 - 510 pp. - 17.6 x 25.0 cm
ISBN 92-828-3678-9 - EUR 18488 - Price: EURO 20
Final Report
Manuscript completed in November 1999
1999 - 2 volumes - 17.6 x 25.0 cm
ISBN 92-828-6786-2 - Price: EURO 43
Also available in French | 
