The Relationship Between Axle Configurations, Wheel Loads and Pavement Structures

The focus of this paper is to provide an overview of how various vehicle configurations and wheel loads are used as input to design pavement structures. Results from the AASHO Road Test will be illustrated on how various axle load magnitudes affect pavement performance. Further, various pavement types, design procedures and pavement analysis techniques will be discussed. The goal of the paper is to provide individuals who design, build, operate and/or maintain trucks and buses insight into how public agencies (such as State Departments of Transportation) provide pavement structures for these vehicles and specifically now vehicle load (or weight) is considered.