ILLINOIS ATLAS           

Brief Description:

The Illinois APT program was established at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign in 2000. The Advanced Transportation Research and Engineering Laboratory developed the Accelerated Transportation Loading System (ATLaS) with funding from the Illinois DOT and the state of Illinois to evaluate multiple transportation support systems. The wheel carriage of ATLaS can be fitted with single or dual wheels used for highway trucks, an aircraft wheel, or a single-axle rail bogie. The structural gantry is mounted on four crawler tracks to facilitate positioning of the device. The ATLaS transmits load to the pavement structure through a hydraulic ram attached to the wheel carriage. Loading can be unidirectional or bidirectional. A movable structure is used to protect the ATLaS from the environment, which also minimizes environmental effects (temperature and moisture) on the pavement. The ATLaS is long enough to extend over six joints of a jointed concrete pavement test section. The first research project for the ATLaS evaluated the performance continuously reinforced concrete pavements.

Last Updated:

January 29, 2005