The HVS-Nordic is a mobile linear full-scale accelerated pavement-testing machine.
Here you can see how the HVS operates (movie, 2286 KB).
In 1997 Finland and Sweden jointly invested in a Heavy Vehicle Simulator, HVS, from South Africa. After the first period in Finland the HVS-NORDIC was moved to Sweden and VTI in Linköping in September 1998. This was the first time the HVS was moved over a longer distance including a sea transport since it arrived to Finland.
During the second period in Finland (2001-2002) the machine was moved to Polen at the request of an international construction company to do verification test on two motorway pavement structures.
A program for research co-operation in the area of accelerated pavement testing was agreed on between Finland and Sweden covering the years 1997-2003.
The general objective of the research co-operation was to learn more about pavement response and pavement performance. A second but most important objective was to learn about the HVS-machine itself and the way it simulates traffic and deteriorates the pavements and how this is related to real pavement performance. Topics of special interest were as follows:
- Performance of typical national pavement structures as reference
- Testing of new structures and new materials
- Evaluation of existing design methods and development of new methods
- Validation of laboratory test methods
- Development of pavement performance models
- Evaluation of overlay design and rehabilitation methods.
HVS machine
The HVS-NORDIC is a mobile linear full-scale accelerated pavement-testing machine (HVS Mark IV). The machine can move over a short distance by itself at walking speed and it can be moved as a semi-trailer over longer distances (see photo below). The speed during transport on road is about 50 km/h but special permits are needed. Because it has steering wheels, it can, in spite of its long length, turn around even relatively sharp corners.
The HVS-NORDIC has a heating/cooling system and thus the temperature can be held constant. The air inside the insulated box is heated or cooled and controlled in order to keep the pavement temperature constant. The standard pavement temperature is selected at +10°C
The HVS can be run by diesel or by electric power. The diesel engine also provides power for the heating/cooling system and thus it is independent of external power.
Technical characteristics
The main technical characteristics are as follows:
- Loading wheels, dual or single
- Loading can be in one or both directions
- Number of loadings are about 22 000 in 24 hours, (including daily maintenance), when loading in both directions
- The lateral movement of the loading wheel centre is up to 0.75 m.
In total the length is 23 m, width 3.5 m, height 4.2 m and weight 46 tonnes. The wheel load can be varied from 30 kN to 110 kN (corresponding axle loads 60...220 kN) at speeds up to 12 km/h. The machine can be run 24 hours a day, during the nights without any staff present.
Research reports in English
Accelerated load testing of pavements. HVS-Nordic tests at VTI Sweden 2003-2004
Accelerated load testing of pavements. HVS-NORDIC tests in Sweden 1999