Lateral Control Strategy of Autonomous Trucks Allowing for the Durability of Bridge Deck Pavement

The durability of bridge deck pavement significantly influences the economic gains from bridge maintenance and transportation efficiency. With the increasing application of autonomous trucks (ATs) in highway bridges, there is a growing need to ascertain the adequacy of existing bridge deck pavement designed for human-driven vehicles to withstand the unique driving behaviors of ATs, especially their distinctive lateral driving behaviors, such as centering within lanes, which may affect the lifetime of bridge deck pavement. In this study, we first establish both the mechanical model and continuous variable temperature field model of the bridge deck pavement. Subsequently, a durability evaluation method is proposed for assessing rutting in bridge deck pavement that accounts for the lateral driving behavior of ATs. We examine the impact of varying lateral driving behaviors of ATs within a lane on the durability of bridge deck pavement with a double-layer structure. The findings show that the regulation of the lateral driving behavior of ATs can effectively postpone the onset of bridge deck pavement deterioration akin to rutting in human-driven trucks by up to 3.66 years (as determined by periodic detection year). This results in a notable reduction in rutting of 11% compared to human-driven trucks. Conversely, without the implementation of lateral control, the rutting caused by ATs could increase by 54%. Moreover, we develop and formulate lateral control strategies for ATs based on the theoretical insights obtained. These strategies take into consideration the applicable conditions for effective lateral control. This investigation not only provides essential theoretical support for maintenance and design strategies of bridge deck pavement within the realm of ATs but also offers operational recommendations for ATs on highway bridges. These suggestions encompass traffic speed limits and prescribed driving behaviors within lanes, which are essential considerations from the standpoint of AT operations.