ABSTRACT
The need to move superheavy loads (SHLs) on public highways is a vital economic necessity for many important industries. Many of such SHL components are much larger in size and weight compared to the standard trucks, and they often require specialized trailers and hauling units. At times SHL vehicles are assembled to suit the load being transported, and often involve non-standard axle configurations. Such moves require the determination of whether the pavement is structurally adequate to sustain the SHL movement. A procedure was developed to identify a segment (or element) of the SHL configuration that can be regarded as representative of the entire SHL vehicle, referred to as Load Nucleus. The vertical stress distribution (or any other pavement response) under the entire SHL configuration can then be estimated by superimposing the stresses calculated under the Nucleus.
