By
S.S. KOLO, (Civil Engineering Department, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria), Y.A.JIMOH (University of Ilorin, Nigeria) AND P. N.NDOKE(Civil Engineering Department, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria)
Abstract
This paper presents the outcome of the axle load survey on a section of a rural trunk road in Nigeria in order to ascertain the contribution of overloaded goods vehicles to pavement failure. Seven day classified traffic and axle load survey was conducted for the determination of ADT, percentage heavy vehicle and the imposed axle load at respective axle position for the traversing vehicles on the Old Jos –Kaduna road, Kaduna state Nigeria. The proportion of the vehicle laden weight carried by each axle and the corresponding standard axle load (sal) was computed with the index model of power 4. The percentage and magnitude of overloaded axles were respectively determined as an indicative measure of the extent of structural damage to the pavement. The studied pavement was overstressed up to five times beyond the Nigeria standard axle load of 80kN, which was too high and hence constituting the hindsight to frequent structural damage to road pavements in Nigeria. It was recommended that the axle load control with weigh-in-motion weighing bridges to assure protection of the road from failure be instituted that will impact less disturbance to normal traffic flow on the arterial.
Keywords
Commercial Vehicle, Average Daily Traffic, Design life, Axle Load, Gross Weight and Gross Vehicle Weight
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