Weigh-in-motion by fibre-optic sensors: Problem of measurement errors compensation for longitudinal oscillations of a truck

Abstract

Recorded signals from a group of fibre-optic sensors of a passing truck with various speeds and known weight of preliminary weighed reference vehicle are used as an input data. Moving vehicle’s dynamics model of “inverted lever pendulum” and the impacts of external conditions (speed of vehicle, temperature, tyre width etc.) as well as the longitudinal and transverse oscillations as the main source of measurement errors are in the focus of this research. The shapes of tyre footprint form, pressure and weight distribution along the footprint length are being estimated and discussed in order to extract and compensate the longitudinal and transverse oscillations of tractor’s, semitrailer’s, each axle’s and wheel’s “gravity centre” with the aim to decrease the estimation errors to the level till 1–2% of each axle’s real weight.