Potholes, cracks in the road, eroding asphalt on exit ramps
Potholes, cracks in the road, eroding asphalt on exit ramps. Some of it is caused by the constant wear and tear of vehicles on the road or extreme temperature shifts.
But a portion of the damage to North American highways can be attributed to overweight vehicles.
A collaborative effort between the Indiana DOT, the Indiana State Police and Mettler Toledo, Columbus, Ohio, has provided a high-tech approach to curbing overweight vehicles on the roadways. Virtual Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) is a technology that may save these routes from excessive damage but also provides ISP troopers a time-effective and accurate means of enforcing adherence to the law.
Traditionally, potentially overweight vehicles have been monitored using one of two methods: permenant scale houses or portable scales. In either case, overweight vehicles are ticketed. However, drivers are aware of the times the weigh station is routinely open and can take measures to avoid the scale.
The state of Indiana approached Mettler with the concept of Virtual WIM. In its most basic function, the Virtual WIM sensor in the roadway interfaces with a roadside controller. A trooper dials in using a mobile phone and a laptop computer. The officer can then observe on the computer screen the weights of passing vehicles.
The system records data 24 hours a day that can be used to monitor specific sensor sites and capture violators as the violations occur. Also, it can be analyzed historically to determine times and places where overweight vehicles are prevalent.
As Virtual WIM sites become strategically located between permanent weigh stations and on known bypass routes, the incentive for trucks to bypass permanent weigh stations will diminish, saving damage to these secondary routes.
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