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ARRB's Accelerated Loading Facility (ALF)

ALF

The Accelerated Loading Facility

The Accelerated Loading Facility (ALF) simulates heavy vehicle trafficking on pavement structures under controlled conditions. It allows valuable time and money to be saved in the evaluation of pavement performance compared to test sites carrying normal traffic.

Artist's impression of the Accelerated Loading Facility (ALF)

The ALF allows pavements to be tested and for their performance to be evaluated in a very short timeframe compared with test sites under normal traffic.

A number of long-term pavement performance studies have verified ALF results against pavement performance under real traffic and environmental conditions.

ARRB first established the Australian ALF research program in 1984. The Australian ALF, currently based in Dandenong in Melbourne’s south-east, has operated continuously for more than 37 years, applying over 32 million load passes and simulating well over 300 million Equivalent Standard Axle loads.

What ALF Can be used for

  • Rank relative performance of conventional and innovative materials or processes
  • Investigate parameters used in pavement design
  • Provide support for road construction activities such as full-scale proof testing
  • Assist with development of network deterioration models including works effects
  • Enhance full-scale long-term monitoring studies and life-cycle cost economic analysis
  • Building capacity and expertise
ARRB's Accelerated Loading Facility is used to simulate heavy vehicle trafficking on pavement

Watching the wheels go around

CONTROLLED CONDITIONS
ARRB’s Accelerated Loading Facility (ALF) is used to simulate heavy vehicle trafficking on pavement structures under controlled conditions.
EFFICIENT
ALF allows pavements to be tested and for their performance to be evaluated in a very short time compared with test sites under normal traffic.
SIMULATION
Hundreds of thousands of wheel passes can be applied over a short timeframe to assess pavement performance. Typically, an innovative material or approach is directly compared to a control section of normal practice.
HARD WORKING
ALF works hard all year and is one of ARRB’s most valuable pieces of equipment. ALF is a mobile device that can be deployed to a road construction site or semi-permanent test facility. Innovation projects involving ALF typically generate a BCR of 10 or greater.
COST EFFECTIVE
This year, ALF delivered 1.437 million wheel passes across two significant projects - improving the cost effectiveness of foamed bitumen stabilised pavements, and improving the cost effectiveness of asphalt surfaced gravel roads.

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