Citation

Van tonder HP, Hasluck JP, Wium DJW. Proc. Int. Tech. Conf. Enhanced Safety Vehicles 1992; 1992: 413-417.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1992, In public domain, Publisher National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This article briefly describes the work undertaken for the South Africa Heavy Vehicle Load Limit Study. The objective of the study was to determine the economic optimum level of lorry load limits, ie the level at which the sum of the road and vehicle costs is least. The basis of the study was the determination of the effect of the change in axle and vehicle loads upon both vehicle operating costs and road costs, each in respect of transporting one tonne of payload. Details of the data used in the study and where it was obtained from are provided. A simplistic model using 80% of vehicles within 0.6 tonnes of the present legal limit increasing their loads was used to determine the number of vehicles that would utilise the new loading limits if these were changed. The calculations used to obtain the increase in road cost as a result of the load limit change for the vehicle concerned, and the vehicle costs per payload ton kilometre are also provided, as is the method used to estimate the effect of a change in axle weight on bridges. The most important results of the analysis are tabulated, and the conclusions which can be drawn from these are summarized.