Dynamic Simulation Methods for Evaluating Vehicle Configuration and Roadway Design

This report documents three elements of a two-year project conducted under the direction of the Midwest Transportation Center. The first element, a comprehensive twodimensional truck simulation, has a modular program construction to allow variation of vehicle characteristics, and is able to predict vehicle motion and the tire-road surface interaction forces. The second element is a rigid pavement model that is used to determine slab deflection, cracking, and stress at predetermined nodes. The pavement model allows for user control of traditional thickness design factors. The third and fmal element describes the implementation of both modeling systems using a work station with menu driven modules and Hypercard interfaces, an owing both existing and proposed pavements to be evaluated given specific characteristics of the heavy vehicles that will be using the facility.

This modeling package will assist the Departments of Transportation in their evaluation of maintenance procedures and determination of appropriate performance standards for urban and rural highway segments and commercial highway networks. This report presents the results of and documents the work that has been performed during this two-year study.