Novel Weigh-in-Motion Pavement Sensor Based on Self-Sensing Nanocomposites for Vehicle Load Identification: Development, Performance Testing, and Validation

Abstract

The development of the transportation industry has led to an increasing number of overloaded vehicles, which reduces the service life of asphalt pavements. Currently, the traditional vehicle weighing method not only involves heavy equipment but also has a low weighing efficiency. To deal with the defects in the existing vehicle weighing system, this paper developed a road-embedded piezoresistive sensor based on self-sensing nanocomposites. The sensor developed in this paper adopts an integrated casting and encapsulation technology, in which an epoxy resin/MWCNT nanocomposite is used for the functional phase, and an epoxy resin/anhydride curing system is used for the high-temperature resistant encapsulation phase. The compressive stress-resistance response characteristics of the sensor were investigated by calibration experiments with an indoor universal testing machine. In addition, the sensors were embedded in the compacted asphalt concrete to validate the applicability to the harsh environment and back-calculate the dynamic vehicle loads on the rutting slab. The results show that the response relationship between the sensor resistance signal and the load is in accordance with the GaussAmp formula. The developed sensor not only survives effectively in asphalt concrete but also enables dynamic weighing of the vehicle loads. Consequently, this study provides a new pathway to develop high-performance weigh-in-motion pavement sensors.

Research on Filtering Algorithm of Vehicle Dynamic Weighing Signal

“…In Equation ( 10), u k is the function of each mode, and ω k is the center frequency of each mode; δ(t) + j πt * u k (t) is the Hilbert-transformed resolved signal of the modes; e (−jωkt) makes the modal function's spectral modulation to the corresponding fundamental band; and finally, the signal is modulated by Gaussian smoothing. Equation (11) is the constraint that the sum of the modes is equal to the original signal.…”

“…With the development of modern society, dynamic weighing technology has been widely used in various fields. The dynamic weighing system is widely used in logistics, transportation, medical, automobile, and industrial fields, providing an effective means of weight monitoring for various industries [6][7][8][9][10][11]. In these applications, the signal generated by the dynamic weighing system is often affected by various environmental factors, including vibration, noise, and other interference factors.…”