ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: In 2005, the Ministry of Transport in Egypt issued new regulations for increasing legal truck axle loads. This paper presents an assessment of tuck factors (TF) under old and new regulations using actual truck loads and traffic data collected for three main roads in Egypt. Although axle load limits have increased by 17-36%, the TF increased by about 200%. The TF was used to determine the equivalent single axle load (ESAL) needed for pavement design and maintenance works. ESALs were found to increase by 75-136%. This impact was converted into additional thickness of asphalt layers, which ranged from 2.1-4.6 cm depending on restrictions on overloading and scenarios of freight volumes.
