Effects of Permit and Illegal Overloads on Pavement

TRB's National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Synthesis 131: Effects of Permit and Illegal Overloads on Pavement will be of interest to pavement designers, highway administrators, and others concerned with pavement design, permit issuance and fees for overloaded trucks, and enforcement of truck weight laws. Information is presented on the effects that overloads have on pavements and on the methods of accommodating or controlling overloads. Highway pavements are designed for legal axle loads, and loads above these will significantly shorten pavement life. This report of the Transportation Research Board describes the effects on pavements of loads greater than those used in design, gives information on permit issuance and fees for overloaded vehicles, and describes the difficulties in enforcing truck weight laws.