Naue AxleLoad
Naue AxleLoad is a free online calculator in the Naue Portal DesignSuite that converts real traffic into equivalent axle load passes for roads with and without a bound surface course. Design engineers, contractors and project owners enter their project-specific axle loads, wheel geometry and number of passes, and AxleLoad returns the equivalent number of standard single-axle passes at a chosen reference axle - the load figure needed to dimension base courses and geogrid-reinforced road systems. Every result can be personalised, downloaded as a report and saved to a project.
At a glance
- What it is: a free online calculator in the Naue Portal DesignSuite (login required)
- What it does: converts real traffic (axle loads, wheel geometry, number of passes) into equivalent axle load passes at a chosen reference axle
- Roads covered: roads with and without a bound surface course; unpaved roads, haul roads and working platforms
- Key inputs: design guideline (EU, LCPC or AASHTO); axle load F (kN); wheel width D (cm); number of passes N; single- or multi-axle (vehicle) loads; wheel configuration; lane-tracking effect
- Key outputs: load-equivalence factor, equivalent number of single-axle passes and equivalent axle load; personalised, downloadable report
- Works with: geogrid-reinforced base design (Secugrid®/Combigrid®) and other DesignSuite calculators; project saving; Naue EDD support
From traffic data to design ready load figures: how AxleLoad delivers
Challenges
- Real traffic mixes many axle loads, wheel types and pass numbers
- Base-course and geogrid design needs one comparable load figure
- Manual load-equivalence conversion is error-prone and hard to document
Naue solution
- An easy-to-use calculator that converts any vehicle into equivalent standard axle classifications using recognised load equivalence methods
- Calculations are based on a reference axle selected for the specific project and in accordance with the relevant regulations (EU, AASHTO or LCPC)
Results
- A clear equivalence factor and equivalent number of passes
- The calculated equivalent axle load transitions based on the reference axis can be used directly for further design calculations, for example in the AASHTO or GH calculator
- A downloadable report - plus a direct route to Naue engineers
Where AxleLoad helps: applications covered
Naue AxleLoad is used to design roads, base courses and working platforms for traffic by converting actual loads into one comparable design value. It supports roads with and without a bound surface course and can be used directly for geogrid-reinforced base design.Typical applications include access roads for wind and solar parks, temporary construction access, forestry and agricultural tracks, heavy traffic on soft ground, such as Ev2 < 15 MN/m², and industrial or logistics access roads.
- Roads with bound surface course: equivalent load passes for asphalt and paved pavement design.
- Unpaved roads and base course: traffic input for unbound base-course dimensioning.
- Haul roads and site access: design loads for temporary access and construction traffic.
- Working platforms and yards: load passes for platforms, laydown areas and industrial yards.
- Geogrid-reinforced bases: load basis for Secugrid®/Combigrid®-stabilised base layers.
How AxleLoad works: guided input, calculation and report
A short, guided flow turns your traffic data into a design-ready load figure and a documented result - in a few steps, with a step navigator and the option to save the calculation to a project.
Enter your project data and AxleLoad does the conversion. You choose the design guideline - European (EU), French (LCPC) or American (AASHTO) methodology - define the load as a single axle or as a multi-axle vehicle, and set the wheel configuration, axle load and wheel geometry, the number of passes and - if relevant - the effect of channelised (lane-true) traffic. A target reference axle defines what the result is expressed against.
Practical advantages:
- Guided, parameter-driven input - no manual equivalence formulas
- Single-axle or multi-axle vehicle loads, with selectable wheel configuration
- Contact pressure under the wheel is derived from axle load and wheel width
- Optional lane-tracking (channelised traffic) effect for realistic loading
- Free reference axle: express results against your chosen equivalent axle load and wheel width
The calculator returns the factors and the design figure needed for base-course and geogrid design:
- Wheel-configuration factor
- Lane-tracking factor
- Load-equivalence factor (load-ratio principle, e.g. to the fourth power)
- Equivalent number of single-axle passes at the reference axle
- Equivalent axle load
AxleLoad documents and connects the result:
- A personalised report with your project name and company details, in a selectable report language, ready to download
- Save the calculation to a project in the Naue Portal project management
- Transfer the equivalent axle load directly into the design using other calculators in the DesignSuite, e.g. PavedRoad – AASHTO or UnpavedRoad – modified GH
- Direct links to sales, the Naue Engineering & Design Department (EDD) and a layout plan service
- For planners and design engineers
A fast, traceable load-equivalence calculation with a documented basis - the design load required for pavement, base-course and geogrid dimensioning. The Naue EDD provides project-specific review and support. - For contractors and site managers
Quick, reliable load figures for haul roads, access roads and working platforms - helping right-size base courses and avoid costly under- or over-design. - For project owners and clients
A transparent, documented design load from a recognised method - supporting confident decisions and a clear audit trail for the road or platform design.
AxleLoad: method, standards and engineering support
| Method / framework | Scope |
|---|---|
| Load-equivalence principle | Converts mixed axle loads into equivalent standard-axle passes using the load-ratio relationship (e.g. fourth-power law) |
| Selectable design guideline | Choose the applicable framework - European (EU), French (LCPC) or American (AASHTO) methodology - for the conversion |
| Downstream design methods | Equivalent load feeds base-course and road design (e.g. AASHTO, Giroud & Han) in the DesignSuite |
| Naue EDD | Project-specific review, verification and design support for demanding schemes |
| AxleLoad is based on established load-equivalence principles used in road and pavement engineering. Where a project needs individual review, the Naue Engineering and Design Department (EDD) supports planners and contractors with project-specific design. |
The AxleLoad advantage: faster, defensible design loads
By turning a complex traffic spectrum into a single, documented design load, Naue AxleLoad removes a common source of delay and error in road and platform design. Users reach a defensible equivalent load in minutes, feed it straight into base-course and geogrid dimensioning within the same DesignSuite, and keep a clear record via the downloadable report. Accurate load equivalence also helps right-size the structure - avoiding over-design and supporting efficient use of materials - while the direct link to Naue engineers adds certainty on demanding projects.
Naue AxleLoad: frequently asked questions
Naue AxleLoad is a free online calculator in the Naue Portal DesignSuite. It converts real traffic into equivalent axle load passes for roads with and without a bound surface course, giving the design load needed to dimension base courses and geogrid-reinforced road systems.
Different axle loads damage a road to different degrees. AxleLoad expresses a mixed traffic spectrum as an equivalent number of passes of one standard reference axle, so the design can be based on a single, comparable load figure.
It covers roads with and without a bound surface course, as well as unpaved roads, haul roads, site access and working platforms - including geogrid-reinforced base layers with Secugrid®/Combigrid®.
A design guideline (European/EU, French/LCPC or American/AASHTO methodology), the axle load (kN) and wheel width (cm), the number of passes, whether the load is a single axle or a multi-axle vehicle, the wheel configuration, and optionally the lane-tracking effect. You also set the reference axle the result is expressed against.
AxleLoad applies a recognised load-equivalence principle (based on the load ratio, e.g. raised to the fourth power) together with wheel-configuration and lane-tracking factors, using the selected design guideline. For example, an 80 kN axle against a 100 kN reference yields a factor of 0.4096.
Yes. An optional lane-tracking effect lets you reflect traffic that is concentrated in defined wheel paths, which increases the loading at those points.
Each calculation produces a personalised, downloadable report in a selectable language, and can be saved to a project in the Naue Portal for later use or for design in other DesignSuite calculators.
AxleLoad is free within the Naue Portal and requires a portal login. It is designed for design engineers, planners, contractors and project owners.