Monday, 12 December 2016
Austroads has published a methodology to establish an Australian (and potentially a New Zealand) weigh‑in‑motion (WIM) network.
WIM devices determine the gross vehicle mass of a vehicle as it is moving. WIM systems fall into two broad groups: low speed, typically used at weighbridges; or high speed, where vehicles are weighed in the traffic stream.
Current practice in Australia and New Zealand is to locate WIM devices on major freight, interstate and interregional routes and on roads providing access to major ports and cities. However, there are a disparate number of WIM devices throughout jurisdictions resulting in varied data capture and analysis.
Strategically placed WIM sites and coordinated data collection and analysis on a national basis could meet the needs of all stakeholders, while optimising the use of limited resources.
The published methodology will ensure a consistent approach across WIM networks and enable accurate data sharing and analysis to plan for future freight movements.
The report presents:
- the nature and scope of guidelines for the strategic selection of new WIM stations
- information on available WIM systems sourced from WIM manufacturers and providers
- a complete list of data fields relevant to WIM stations, divided into higher importance and lower importance categories
- three options for common data processing of WIM data across Australia (a central repository of WIM data maintained by a third party was the preferred option)
- the importance of integration of intelligent transport systems with WIM systems and the added value that this can provide.
Report link: National Strategic Weigh-in-motion Network