Weighing in Motion

Weigh-in-motion is a technology that can be used for various private and public purposes (i.e. applications) related to the weights and axle loads of road and rail vehicles. WIM systems are installed on the road or rail track or on a vehicle and measure, store and provide data from the traffic flow and/or the specific vehicle. For WIM systems certain specific conditions apply. These conditions have an impact on the quality and reliability of the data measured by the WIM system and of the durability of the sensors and WIM system itself.

WIM systems measure the dynamic axle loads of the vehicles and try to calculate the best possible estimate of the related static values. The WIM systems have to perform unattended, under harsh traffic and environmental conditions, often without any control over the way the vehicle is moving, or the driver is behaving. As a result of these specific measurement conditions, a successful implementation of a WIM system requires specific knowledge and experience.

Weigh In Motion, abbreviated WIM, is a term used to designate systems designed to capture vehicle weights, and axle loads in particular, as vehicles drive on the road. Through a combination of force sensors and presence sensors, loads can be captured and recorded even at high speeds and can be attributed to individual vehicles. Parameters such as total weight, axle loads and speed can be determined via electronic analysis. WIM acts as a foundation for automated weight checks and weight-dependent road fees.