Relationship between channelisation and geometric characteristics of road pavements

Traffic loading is the primary factor considered when designing a pavement. It is suggested in some design guides that the spread of the traffic load across the pavement surface should be considered alongside the standard axle loading the pavement will need to carry over its lifespan. However, there is little guidance on how to predict the spread of traffic loads when designing a new pavement, and empirical studies supporting any such guidance is also limited. This study helps to address this gap through analyses of data collected on the vehicle positions on 100 sections of pavement in Portsmouth, United Kingdom. The analyses, found a positive linear association between the degree of lateral wander and both the lane width and road width. These results suggest that the use of a binary measure of vehicle position used in the UK design guidance may not be suitable. The results also highlight the importance of both lane and road width, contrary to the existing body of research that indicates only one or the other to be a determinant of vehicle position. These findings have significant potential benefits to pavement engineers when estimating the lifespan of new pavements.