Evaluating Tire Pressure Control Systems (TPCS) to improve productivity and mitigate pavement damage

The imposition of seasonal load restrictions (SLR) on the thaw-weakened secondary roads interrupt the transportation of raw materials to processing facilities; for the forestry industry in particular, this has very significant impacts on productivity and costs. FPInnovations-Feric Division (Feric) has investigated the potential for Tire Pressure Control System (TPCS)-equipped trucks to travel with full, legal loading during the SLR period without accelerating road damage. The TPCS monitors and adjusts the inflation pressure of the trucks' tires from within the truck's cabin. This paper describes an investigation to determine whether TPCS can be used to mitigate traffic generated damage to secondary roads and also reduce the need to implement load restrictions. The methodology, design, and instrumentation of the two test sites in Dryden and Chapleau, Ontario are presented. Repeated Portable Falling Weight Deflectometer (PFWD) testing is being carried out at these sites and initial results of this examination and associated impacts of environment and traffic on the road are presented. This study also involves looking into the reliability of using the PFWD, offering lower cost alternative, instead of the FWD to monitor pavement strength and identification of the SLR period. The use of innovative sensors and data collection techniques are proving to be very informative and advancing pavement engineering knowledge. Moreover, the paper presents a protocol for examining the TPCS technology for addressing the timber industry in crisis, reduced road maintenance budgets, and global warming increasing road damage.