The Potential Use of Central Tire Inflation During Highway Load Restriction Periods

Every spring, thousands of kilometers of local roads have load restrictions due to pavement structural weakness. Load restrictions vary greatly across North America, but often are severe enough that all large trucks are banned outright or greatly limited in haul capability. An assessment of the potential of central tire inflation (CTI) systems to mitigate or reduce the impact of seasonal load restrictions was made. Overall, CTI equipped trucks and lower tire pressures can be of benefit in allowing truck trips on aggregate surfaced roads and roads with relatively thin bituminous surfaces (less than 75 mm) that otherwise would be precluded.