Cost: The sensor cost, installation cost and associated maintenance costs are higher than piezo electric sensor WIM technology.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nIn summary, a multiple system roll-out where statistical data is sufficient for typical asset management is cost-effective using the BL sensor system. A sizeable network of asset management and protection weigh-in-motion sites can be deployed at a significantly lower cost than a similar number of quartz sensor sites although if specific accuracy or enforcement was required then a select number of sites using this methodology could be considered.<\/p>\n
Calibration<\/h3>\n Post installation and commissioning a calibration of each lane of high speed weigh-in-motion must be undertaken after allowing a brief period of time for the new installation to settle and for the TMU to gather intelligence via the auto-TNL temperature compensation algorithm.<\/p>\n
A process is then undertaken using suitable vehicles with known weights making a number of passes over the HSWIM arrays. The first phase of the calibration is used to determine a mean impact factor. Adjustments are made to these settings in the TMU and then a second phase of passes is undertaken to confirm the accuracy of the calculated weights. It is recommended the calibration process is repeated at least once annually.<\/p>\n
Accuracy<\/h3>\n For high speed weigh-in-motion systems the recognised accuracy requirement: COST323 Class B (10) is usually required.\u00a0 This is a European standard for accuracy that being \u00b1 10% weight accuracy for 95% of all vehicles. Q-Free\u2019s HSWIM system in the UK is based on the use of Class 1 BL piezo-electric sensor technology and readily meets this specification and this can be confirmed by customers, including the Department for Transport, Driver and Vehicles Standards Agency (DVSA) and Transport Scotland (TS) where approximately 75 systems are operational.<\/p>\n
In other countries quartz sensors have been specified by customers who wish increased accuracy, \u00b17%, (COST323 Class B+ 7) for direct enforcement of offending vehicles. Q-Free has installed these in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and has started to see demand of this type of detection requirement increase with a recent request by Highways England for a trial site in the UK to be installed during 2018.<\/p>\n
Integration with ANPR and other systems<\/h3>\n Q-Free can and has integrated the weigh-in-motion detection equipment with specialist ANPR providers and is happy to develop any required data protocols. For example, in the UK, Q-Free works closely with Jenoptik to deliver an integrated WIM\/ANPR solution for the UK DVSA and Transport Scotland in partnership with other agencies to enforce weight infringements at key, strategic locations including major river crossings such as the iconic Forth bridges. The weight information is synchronised with the Jenoptik Vector camera to match ANPR records and the data is filtered to subsequently target offending drivers or operators.<\/p>\n
In other situations, the WIM system can be co-located at a tolling gantry such as the system in Stockholm, Sweden \u00adand used to manage the tolling concession as well as the resulting data being integral for enforcement purposes. This system has also been delivered in Saudi Arabia as a pre-selection tool, with offending vehicles directed to an enforcement station downstream from the free-flow weigh-in-motion site for further investigation.<\/p>\n
Choosing Q-Free<\/h3>\n The illegal operation of heavy goods vehicles can, in summary, shorten the life of infrastructure, degrade the quality of travel and increase costs of operation and maintenance. Protecting road assets is fundamental to economic stability, growth and the social well-being of a region. Investing in intelligent transport systems to monitor and manage weights provides long term benefits including cost savings for local and strategic governments, increased productivity and improvement in the quality of life.<\/p>\n
Q-Free\u2019s HSWIM with BL sensors provides a cost effective solution for asset management, protecting a customer\u2019s strategic road network including bridges. The resulting data is of sufficient accuracy to make informed decisions about current network condition and to plan for future improvements. Where enforcement is a factor Q-Free can install the quartz sensor system but this impacts on cost and perhaps therefore the volume of sites that can be deployed.<\/p>\n
With remote monitoring capability, integration with ANPR and other systems such as weather stations, a comprehensive weigh-in-motion network can be deployed.<\/p>\n
WIM\/ANPR provides effective vehicle weight enforcement by providing a highly effective targeting tool and ensures that a significant percentage of vehicles are identified as being overloaded. In addition to this, recent studies have shown that a significant number of the drivers caught were also in breach of driver\u2019s hours and various mechanical defects.<\/p>\n
Without effective weight enforcement operators can take full advantage of the benefits of overloading, in contrast to compliant operators who could be economically disadvantaged and the road\/bridge maintenance contractors who are left to pick up the costs of repairing the damaged roads.<\/p>\n
International Society for Weigh-In-Motion (ISWIM)<\/h3>\n Q-Free have been active in the field of WIM for over 20 years and are one of the founder members of ISWIM. ISWIM is an international non-profit organisation founded in 2007 and legally incorporated in Switzerland. It is an international network of and for people and organisations active in the field of WIM. Its purpose is to disseminate knowledge and understanding of weigh-in-motion and to support advances in WIM technologies promoting widespread use of WIM globally.<\/p>\n
ISWIM has over 700 members from 70 countries and is run by a board of officials elected by the membership at the global conferences held every three years or so. Q-Free currently holds position of vice-president of the society responsible for end-user engagement and is the chair of the ISWIM vendors\u2019 college where the views of 20 vendors on the board are represented.<\/p>\n
Colin Reekie<\/strong><\/p>\nCommercial Manager<\/strong><\/p>\nQ-Free UK<\/strong><\/p>\n+44 (0)7530 642 004<\/strong><\/p>\ncolin.reekie@q-free.com<\/strong><\/p>\nwww.q-free.com<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The increase in freight traffic and the free movement of goods across European borders is creating significant impacts on the infrastructure, environment and resources (petroleum), in conflict with EU aims to encourage more sustainable modes of transport. Q-Free is a leading global supplier of tolling, parking and info-mobility solutions. This includes the supply and installation […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":473,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[566],"tags":[529],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Weigh-in-motion and the need for weight data | Innovation News Network<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n