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Cover of Investigation of Pavement Assessment Methodologies for Performance Based Standards Access
Investigation of Pavement Assessment Methodologies for Performance Based Standards Access
  • Publication no: AP-R658-21
  • ISBN: 978-1-922382-89-4
  • Published: 30 September 2021

This report reviews the different ways road managers assess the pavement impacts of Performance Based Standards (PBS) vehicles and presents a framework and findings that support the development of nationally consistent infrastructure assessment guidelines aligning with the reforms proposed by the 2018 National Transport Commission review of the PBS scheme.

The comparison of the tools and guidelines used by road managers, broad consultation and a workshop revealed opportunities for eliminating inconsistencies within the current processes and methods used for assessing the pavement impacts of PBS vehicles.

The report includes recommendations for guidelines specific to local government road managers to assist in making nationally consistent access decisions for PBS vehicles.

Watch a webinar presented by Anthony Germanchev, Georgia O’Connor and Angus Draheim.

  • Summary
  • 1.     Introduction
    • 1.1   Background
    • 1.2   Purpose
    • 1.3   Scope
    • 1.4   Acronyms
  • 2.     Methodology
    • 2.1   Context and Issues Definition
    • 2.2   Consultation with Jurisdictions
    • 2.3   Development of Initial Guidelines
    • 2.4   Refinement via a Workshop
  • 3.     Context and Issues Definition
    • 3.1   Definition of PBS Vehicles and Heavy Vehicles
    • 3.2   Managing Heavy Vehicle Access
    • 3.3   Understanding the PBS Assessment Process
    • 3.4   Pavement Impact Assessment
    • 3.5   Outcomes of Context and Issues Definition
      • 3.5.1     Barriers and misconceptions about PBS
      • 3.5.2     Knowledge gaps in pavement assessment
  • 4.     Consultations with Jurisdictions
    • 4.1   Resources for Handling Access Responses
    • 4.2   Understanding PBS and PBS Vehicles
    • 4.3   Pavement Assessment Methods
    • 4.4   Pavement Assessment Tools
    • 4.5   Road Infrastructure
      • 4.5.1     Unsealed roads
    • 4.6   Outcomes of Consultation
      • 4.6.1     Improvements suggested by SRAs
      • 4.6.2     Funding requests by LGAs to assist with improving the process
    • 4.7   Summary of Consultation
  • 5.     Review of Pavement Assessment Tools
    • 5.1   Outcome of Pavement Assessment Tools Review
  • 6.     Discussion
    • 6.1   Summary of Context and Issues
    • 6.2   Outcomes of Consultation
  • 7.     Proposed Pavement Assessment Review Process
  • 8.     Findings
    • 8.1   Providing Road Managers Pavement Impact Assessments
    • 8.2   Development of PBS Pavement Assessment Guidelines
    • 8.3   Addressing the Identified Barriers through Education
      • 8.3.1     Checklist
      • 8.3.2     Truck Impact Chart
    • 8.4   Pavement Condition Data
    • 8.5   Research on Horizontal and Dynamic Loading of Pavements
  • 9.     Conclusions
  • References
  • Appendix A         Context and Issues Definition
    • A.1  Heavy Vehicles – Prescriptive and PBS
      • A.1.1    Heavy vehicle classes
      • A.1.2    Common high productivity freight vehicles
      • A.1.3    PBS Vehicles
      • A.1.4    Comparison between Standard Heavy Vehicles and PBS Vehicles
    • A.2  Heavy Vehicle Access
    • A.3  Providing Road Access
    • A.4  Understanding the PBS Scheme
      • A.4.1    PBS Performance and Safety Standards
      • A.4.2    PBS Process for Approval
    • A.5  Roles and Responsibilities
      • A.5.1    The NHVR and the HVNL
      • A.5.2    Road Managers
      • A.5.3    Vehicle Mass Limits
    • A.6  Pavement Loading
      • A.6.1    Perceived Impacts of PBS Vehicles on Pavements
      • A.6.2    Vertical loading
      • A.6.3    Horizontal loading
      • A.6.4    Dynamic loading
      • A.6.5    The effects of heavy vehicle loading on the pavement
  • Appendix B        Consultation with Jurisdictions
    • B.1  Questions for Consultation
    • B.2  Participants in Consultation
    • B.3  Resourcing for Handling Access Responses
      • B.3.1    Western Australia
      • B.3.2    New South Wales
      • B.3.3    Victoria
      • B.3.4    Tasmania
      • B.3.5    Queensland
      • B.3.6    Local Government Authorities
    • B.4  Understanding of PBS and PBS Vehicles
      • B.4.1    Western Australia
      • B.4.2    New South Wales
      • B.4.3    Victoria
      • B.4.4    Tasmania
      • B.4.5    Queensland
      • B.4.6    Local Government Authorities
    • B.5  Pavement Assessment Methods
      • B.5.1    Western Australia
      • B.5.2    New South Wales
      • B.5.3    Victoria
      • B.5.4    Tasmania
      • B.5.5    Queensland
      • B.5.6    Local Government Authorities
    • B.6  Improvements suggested by SRAs
      • B.6.1    Adopting a collaborative approach
      • B.6.2    Education about the freight-task-based approach and productivity benefits
      • B.6.3    Increased visibility of localised operation
      • B.6.4    Road user charging relative to pavement wear
  • Appendix C        Review of Pavement Assessment Methodologies
    • C.1  Pavement Assessment Tools and Calculators
      • C.1.1    Restricted Access Vehicle Route Assessment Tool (RAVRAT)
      • C.1.2    Freight Axle Mass Limits Investigation Tool (FAMLIT)
      • C.1.3    Wear Productivity Index (WPI)
      • C.1.4    Quantification of pavement impact options
    • C.2  Guidelines for Assessments
      • C.2.1    Transport and Main Roads
      • C.2.2    ATA Truck Impact Chart (TIC)
      • C.2.3    Western Australian Local Government Association (WALGA) User Guide for Estimating the Incremental Cost Impact on Sealed Roads from Additional Freight Tasks
      • C.2.4    Local Government Heavy Vehicle Route Assessment Guidelines
      • C.2.5    DoT Victoria Class 2 Heavy Vehicle Route Assessment Guidelines
    • C.3  Comparison of Tools and Guidelines
      • C.3.1    Route Assessment Guidelines – Pavement Sections Summary
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