Research was conducted at the Canterbury Accelerated PavementTesting Indoor Facility investigating the influence of dynamicaxle loads on pavement response and deterioration. Measurementsfrom an earlier pavement showed that the SLAVE units subject thepavement to realistic dynamic loading.

Two tests have been undertaken, comparing the effect of steelmulti leaf, twin parabolic spring and air suspensions on pavementdeterioration. The second test was part of the Organisation forEconomic Co- operation and Development Dynamic Interaction betweenVehicles and Infrastructure Experiment (OECD DIVINE project).The results to date show a good correlation between the dynamicwheel forces and pavement distress. The modes and level of pavementdistress are dependent on the particular suspension characteristics.Analysis ranks the suspensions from worst to best as steel, parabolicand air.

The results have provided the first measured evidence of adirect link between peak dynamic loads and pavement damage reportedthus far.