"A three year joint study (3) with Forest Engineering Research Institute of Canada (FERIC) and the Alberta Newsprint Company (ANC) investigated the potential for using a B-Train combination equipped with central tire inflation (CTI). Three road surfaces were studied; native earth block-entry, lightly gravelled forest access roads and asphaltic-concrete highways. The native earth thawing block-entry road was constructed as a 100m X 75m two lane oval track. The track had a low section, a level section and a 6% grade. The outer lane was used for “high” tire inflation pressure and the inner lane was used for “low” tire pressure conditions. The single test vehicle operated on one lane at high tire pressure until the road failed - defined as when ruts of 10 cm in depth occurred. It then travelled on the other lane at the low tire pressure setting until the surface failed. During the test program, the tire inflation pressure settings were as follows; high-pressure condition was set to 100 psi; low pressure ranged from 34 to 39 psi. The test vehicle was a 7-axle unit having a GVW’s of 56.5 tonnes.

The tests found that tires inflated to the high pressure (normal) settings rutted the road surface approximately nine times faster than when inflated to the low pressure settings. This extreme result is due in part to the very weak structural condition of the road. It is estimated that the road had a CBR of 3, which is typical of weak, thawing conditions. In general, initial rut development decreased by 77% when low tire pressures were used."

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=5&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CDcQFjAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Froad-transport-technology.org%2FProceedings%2F5%2520-%2520ISHVWD%2FPart%25201%2FEFFECTS%2520OF%2520TIRE%2520INFLATION%2520PRESSURE%2520AND%2520CTI%2520ON%2520ROAD%2520LIFE%2520AND%2520VEHICLE%2520STABILITY%2520-%2520Woodrooffe%2520.pdf&ei=etpcVcLlDsvXsAWs9ILYBQ&usg=AFQjCNF3xhF3L5xOaq4Yiv-E5YVhxw_kaw&sig2=ik6hqDMUS7jqpysqO3Y9Xw&bvm=bv.93756505,d.b2w

It depends on how heavy the angel is, and how small the point of the needle is. But yes, potentially an angel standing on a pin will damage a road.

Have you ever ridden a bike with narrow wheels on a freshly paved road? I have. It made a rut.

Ok. Elementary physics lesson.

The force exhibited upon the road by a vehicle is called pressure. Weight divided by contact area equals pressure.

Gravity is an attractive force exerted by all matter. The mass of the matter determines the force exerted. Weight is a measurement of that force.

Yes, because big rigs often have 90 psi tire pressure.

http://library.ctr.utexas.edu/digitized/texasarchive/phase2/386-2F-CTR.pdf

Actually, contact area is determined by the weight of the vehicle and the tire pressure. What do you think would happen if you had a 2000 lb vehicle on tires inflated to 10,000 psi? You would have a contact patch totaling .2 square inches divided among the four tires. What kind of damage do you think 2000 lbs on .2 square inches would do?

To say that vehicle weight is the only thing that matters is flat out wrong. It is dependent on the substrate and surface pavement composition. they both matter, but seeing as pavement fatigue is the primary source of road failure, and tire pressure contributes most to pavement fatigue, tire pressure has a large effect on road wear.