Simulation Model for Traffic Impact Assessment of Weigh-in-Motion System Implementation

Abstract

Restricting time and route of heavy vehicles leads to the problem of heavy traffic and travel delays, which resulting in higher cost in transportation and causing damages to road infrastructure. In other to make the truck weight standard system to be in control and more effective, the road agencies have set up weighing truck stations on the road network. However, the truck weigh operation affects the truck traffic and overall traffic along the road network.  Recently, the automatic weighing system using Weigh-In-Motion (WIM) has been gaining acceptance in weighing heavy vehicles and pre-screening the overweight vehicles. The objective of this research is to assess the traffic impact of different types of automatic weighing truck system on the 4-lane roads by using microscopic traffic simulation models, and then compare their traffic impacts. This research developed the models for 3 weigh truck systems including (1) weighing stations using static loads (2) weighing stations using WIM for screening overweight trucks and (3) weighing stations using WIM for weighing. The models assessed traffic impact using the average travel speed, service delay and queue length. The results will help suggest the conditions for establishing the weigh stations in various forms and traffic condition that are suitable with the Weight-in-Motion system.