Theory and practice of Weigh in Motion (WIM) based on fibre Bragg gratings: lab tests for smart roads purposes

Abstract

This paper is focused on ITS (Intelligent Transport Systems) for road transport, in particular, on the analysis and assessment of the effectiveness of one specific technology making highways and motorways more “perceptive” and “communicating”, i.e. “smart” using a fashion term, that is the dynamic weighing systems of vehicles, also recognised in literature as WIM (Weigh in motion). An application of the investigated technology has been developed at the Measurement Laboratory of the Politecnico di Torino (Italy) where a WIM based on fibre optical sensors has been arranged and tested. The aim has also been to evaluate its accuracy and the possibility of its practical use. The perspective goal is to make roads perceptive and alerting through ITS and the focus on optical fibre-based WIM, for pursuing smart road results, is interesting because fibre sensors are well suited to be employed in the monitoring of large infrastructures.