Effects of Revised Toll-by-Weight Policy on Truck Overloading Behavior and Bridge Infrastructure Damage Using Weigh-in-Motion Data: A Comparative Study in China

Since 2000, overloaded trucks have caused more than 50 bridges to collapse in China. In an effort to ensure the structural safety and extend the service life of the highway infrastructure, the Chinese government has proposed a series of policies in the past decade to mitigate truck overloading. This...

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Main Authors: Haiyun Huang, Junyong Zhou, Junping Zhang, Wangxi Xu, Zhixing Chen, Ningning Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2019-01-01
Series:Advances in Civil Engineering
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/5910463
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author Haiyun Huang
Junyong Zhou
Junping Zhang
Wangxi Xu
Zhixing Chen
Ningning Li
author_facet Haiyun Huang
Junyong Zhou
Junping Zhang
Wangxi Xu
Zhixing Chen
Ningning Li
author_sort Haiyun Huang
collection DOAJ
description Since 2000, overloaded trucks have caused more than 50 bridges to collapse in China. In an effort to ensure the structural safety and extend the service life of the highway infrastructure, the Chinese government has proposed a series of policies in the past decade to mitigate truck overloading. This study aimed at investigating the effects of China’s recently revised toll-by-weight policy on truck overloading behavior and bridge infrastructure damage using weigh-in-motion data that spanned seven years (January 2011 to March 2018) and two successive toll-by-weight policies (with the new one implemented from August 2016), wherein truck data were measured from a typical national freeway segment. We first compared truck traffic volumes, compositions, and weight distributions under the initial and revised toll-by-weight policies. Next, we compared bridge infrastructure performance with respect to safety and fatigue based on the overloaded truck traffic observed under the initial and revised toll-by-weight policies. The results indicated that the revised toll-by-weight policy, which uses a stepwise incremental fee structure based on vehicle weight, was more effective at controlling truck overloading behavior and reducing bridge infrastructure damage than the initial toll-by-weight policy. Under the current policy, average daily truck volumes, overloaded truck proportions, and maximum truck weights decreased significantly. Concurrently, extreme and equivalent load effects for safety and fatigue assessments, respectively, decreased by an average of 20% for small- to medium-span bridges. Despite these noted improvements, overloaded truck traffic persisted, with loads often exceeding bridge design levels. This study’s findings can support future efforts by the Chinese government to further refine their toll-by-weight policies and subsequently ensure a safe and viable transportation network.
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spelling doaj-art-d3bed4e09db640e99fb5271d71d691552025-02-03T07:24:40ZengWileyAdvances in Civil Engineering1687-80861687-80942019-01-01201910.1155/2019/59104635910463Effects of Revised Toll-by-Weight Policy on Truck Overloading Behavior and Bridge Infrastructure Damage Using Weigh-in-Motion Data: A Comparative Study in ChinaHaiyun Huang0Junyong Zhou1Junping Zhang2Wangxi Xu3Zhixing Chen4Ningning Li5College of Civil Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong, ChinaCollege of Civil Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong, ChinaCollege of Civil Engineering, Guangdong Communication Polytechnic, Guangzhou 510650, Guangdong, ChinaCollege of Civil Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong, ChinaCollege of Civil Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong, ChinaCollege of Civil Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong, ChinaSince 2000, overloaded trucks have caused more than 50 bridges to collapse in China. In an effort to ensure the structural safety and extend the service life of the highway infrastructure, the Chinese government has proposed a series of policies in the past decade to mitigate truck overloading. This study aimed at investigating the effects of China’s recently revised toll-by-weight policy on truck overloading behavior and bridge infrastructure damage using weigh-in-motion data that spanned seven years (January 2011 to March 2018) and two successive toll-by-weight policies (with the new one implemented from August 2016), wherein truck data were measured from a typical national freeway segment. We first compared truck traffic volumes, compositions, and weight distributions under the initial and revised toll-by-weight policies. Next, we compared bridge infrastructure performance with respect to safety and fatigue based on the overloaded truck traffic observed under the initial and revised toll-by-weight policies. The results indicated that the revised toll-by-weight policy, which uses a stepwise incremental fee structure based on vehicle weight, was more effective at controlling truck overloading behavior and reducing bridge infrastructure damage than the initial toll-by-weight policy. Under the current policy, average daily truck volumes, overloaded truck proportions, and maximum truck weights decreased significantly. Concurrently, extreme and equivalent load effects for safety and fatigue assessments, respectively, decreased by an average of 20% for small- to medium-span bridges. Despite these noted improvements, overloaded truck traffic persisted, with loads often exceeding bridge design levels. This study’s findings can support future efforts by the Chinese government to further refine their toll-by-weight policies and subsequently ensure a safe and viable transportation network.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/5910463
spellingShingle Haiyun Huang
Junyong Zhou
Junping Zhang
Wangxi Xu
Zhixing Chen
Ningning Li
Effects of Revised Toll-by-Weight Policy on Truck Overloading Behavior and Bridge Infrastructure Damage Using Weigh-in-Motion Data: A Comparative Study in China
Advances in Civil Engineering
title Effects of Revised Toll-by-Weight Policy on Truck Overloading Behavior and Bridge Infrastructure Damage Using Weigh-in-Motion Data: A Comparative Study in China
title_full Effects of Revised Toll-by-Weight Policy on Truck Overloading Behavior and Bridge Infrastructure Damage Using Weigh-in-Motion Data: A Comparative Study in China
title_fullStr Effects of Revised Toll-by-Weight Policy on Truck Overloading Behavior and Bridge Infrastructure Damage Using Weigh-in-Motion Data: A Comparative Study in China
title_full_unstemmed Effects of Revised Toll-by-Weight Policy on Truck Overloading Behavior and Bridge Infrastructure Damage Using Weigh-in-Motion Data: A Comparative Study in China
title_short Effects of Revised Toll-by-Weight Policy on Truck Overloading Behavior and Bridge Infrastructure Damage Using Weigh-in-Motion Data: A Comparative Study in China
title_sort effects of revised toll by weight policy on truck overloading behavior and bridge infrastructure damage using weigh in motion data a comparative study in china
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2019/5910463
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