126 | TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT
Weight to go Weigh-in-motion sensors contribute vital weight-based information as ITS and components offer ever-greater capabilities Words | Jon Arnold, Intercomp, USA
Intelligent transportation systems (ITS) have experienced rapid advances in the technology, capabilities and deployments of expanding numbers of applications over the past decade. By understanding and improving congestion, conducting vehicle transactions such as electronic toll collection (ETC) and improving traffic safety through commercial vehicle screening, ITS systems provide operators with a wealth of information and tools. This enables roadways and system administrators to be more efficient while maximizing safety for the vehicle operators in a variety of ways. With improvements in electronic technology in hardware such as
Intertraffic World | Annual Showcase 2018
cameras, and in software capabilities and communications, it can be easy to forget the advances being made to provide vital axle and gross vehicle weight (GVW) data from sensors embedded in the roadway. Intercomp sensors use strain gauge technology, which has been recognized for its accuracy and temperature stability for measurement systems, and integrate it into a sensor that is embedded in channels cut into the roadway surface. Used for weigh-in-motion (WIM) applications at both low and high speeds, incorporating strain gauge sensor technology into ITS systems provides operators with accurate measurement
of wheel, axle and GVW at speeds up to and beyond 80mph (129km/h). With a nominal sensor size of 2.8in (70mm) wide, 3in (75mm) high, and ranging from 39-79in (1.0-2.0m) long, Intercomp strain gauge strip sensors require minimal invasive installations in pavements. The smaller sensor depth and dimensions enable rapid installations in a vehicle lane in a single day, without the drains or extensive civil works necessary with some WIM scales. Tolling (ETC) and industrial axle and GVW check weighing are just a few low-speed WIM (LSWIM) applications that call for axle configuration and weight-based data with excellent accuracy. Coupled with
