Assessing the Impact of Truck Platooning on Pavement Damages: A Case Study in Ontario

Truck freight transportation, a crucial driver of Canada's national economy, is responsible for 35% of the country's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions related to transportation. The emergence of ‘Connected and Autonomous Vehicles’ (CAV) technologies is poised to bring about a revolutionary transformation in the trucking industry, leading to changes in fuel consumption and emissions. However, it is essential to acknowledge that achieving full mitigation may prove challenging due to the potential increase in emissions from road maintenance activities necessitated by truck platooning. With this vision, the present research aims to compare the prevalent flexible pavement distresses under normal traffic and truck platooning mode, because of the altered loading patterns of truck platooning. The alterations considered in this study include a reduction in load intervals. This study focuses on cracking-related distresses and permanent vertical deformation, which have emerged as the predominant forms of pavement deterioration. A fatigue life prediction model and an accumulated vertical deformation (rutting) model are incorporated into estimating and comparing the pavement distresses under normal traffic and platooning operations. With a case study in Ontario, this study culminates in the development of heat maps for the region. These maps visually demonstrate the impact of regional traffic variations, temperature fluctuations, and axle load ranges on the degree of pavement fatigue cracking and rutting.