Analysis of Heavy Vehicle Overloading and Its Impact on Flexible Pavement Deterioration Levels

Abstract

This study analyzes the effect of increased heavy traffic loads on the service life of flexible pavements, demonstrating the direct influence of the Truck Factor (TF) on structural deterioration. It begins with a design scenario based on a cumulative traffic volume of 2,01 x 106 equivalent single axle loads (ESALs) over a 20-year period, which is then compared with scenarios of progressively increasing loads up to an extreme operating condition at 100% of the legally permitted load. The methodology adopted is based on an empirical-mechanistic approach, integrating structural modeling using the ALIZE software with the formulation of failure laws for the subgrade, asphalt layer, and pavement deflection, obtained from regression analysis. The results show that increasing the TF from 1,25 to 3,77 generates a significant increase in cumulative traffic, reaching values of up to 6,04 x 106 ESALs, which implies greater structural demands. Furthermore, it was determined that increased loads significantly reduce the time required to reach design traffic, accelerating the structural deterioration of the pavement. It is concluded that excessive vehicle load is a determining factor in the premature reduction of service life, making it essential to strengthen load controls and consider potential overload scenarios in the structural design.