Measuring and modeling impacts of tire pressure on road erosion

Foltz, R.B.; Elliot, W.J. 1996. Measuring and modeling impacts of tire pressures on road erosion. Presented at the FAO Seminar on Environmentally Sound Forest Roads, June 1996, Sinaia, Romania. 14 p.

Keywords: road, tire pressure

Links: HTML (FAO)

Abstract: The sediment production from highway tire pressures, constant reduced tire pressures, and from central tire inflation tire pressures on loaded logging trucks operating on a marginal quality aggregate surfaced road were compared. Rainfall and runoff were measured for three winter seasons with logging truck traffic. Sediment production from the constant reduced tire pressure road sections averaged 45% less than from the highway tire pressure sections. An average savings of 80% was measured from the central tire inflation system tire pressure sections. These results were used to calibrate a physical-process-based erosion model, WEPP. Once calibrated, the model was used to estimate the sediment reduction expected at two locations in the United States, one in Brazil, and one in Romania. Since the processes that are responsible for the sediment reduction are not site specific and were modeled by WEPP, we feel confident that lowering tire pressures in logging trucks on unpaved roads can reduce the sediment loss from these road surfaces. The WEPP model can be helpful in estimating the sediment reduction.

Moscow FSL publication no. 1996h