Use of Falling Weight Deflectometer Data for Network-Level Flexible Pavement Management

Abstract

The objectives of this research were to investigate spatial and temporal falling weight deflectometer (FWD) testing rates employed in network-level pavement management by selected state departments of transportation (DOTs) and to recommend specific methods of FWD analysis that best reflected actual pavement conditions. With funding from the Utah DOT, a literature review and a telephone questionnaire survey were performed. FWD data collected from Legacy Parkway and Long-Term Pavement Performance Program Site 49-1001 were analyzed with models by Noureldin, Hoffman, Jameson, COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology), Rohde, and AASHTO, as well as with multiple-layer linear elastic analysis (MLLEA), which was assumed to be the most accurate of the methods evaluated in this study. In consideration of (a) the results of two-way comparisons with the MLLEA method, (b) applicability to situations in which pavement layer thicknesses are not known, and (c) simplicity, the COST method is recommended for general implementation. To the extent that the data sets analyzed in this research are representative of the Utah DOT pavement network, the COST model should be modified according to the regression results developed in this research to produce more accurate calculations of structural number. Application of temperature corrections to FWD deflections is recommended for structural pavement monitoring.

Integrating Pavement Sensing Data for Pavement Condition Evaluation

“…The considered sensing data included roughness measurements through RSP, deflectometric data through FWD and pavement thickness data estimated through GPR analysis. Although pavement profile is known to interact with pavement response in terms of pavement–vehicle dynamics, the present investigation focuses on static loading conditions that are usually adopted in the framework of pavement analysis as a standard practice [ 26 , 29 , 30 ]. Therefore, to meet the research aim, the following objectives were set: To statistically treat RSP data in order to define characteristic IRI values at the FWD test locations.…”

“…Being a more in-depth analysis, it best suits project level investigations, required, for example, in the framework of potential rehabilitation design strategies. Overall, the FWD system constitutes the standard approach for both project and network level investigations worldwide [ 26 , 29 , 30 , 36 ].…”

“…A reliable determination of pavement structural condition deterioration over time under traffic and environmental loading can be established through sensing pavement deflections with either the FWD or the more sophisticated Traffic Speed Deflection Devices (TSDD) [ 26 , 27 , 28 ]. As a standard practice worldwide, deflectometric data is most often combined with pavement stratigraphy data estimated through geophysical surveys, i.e., Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), in order to back-calculate the pavement stiffness profile and further proceed with a pavement response and failure analysis [ 26 , 29 , 30 , 31 ]. Thus, the integration of systems utilized for both the structural and functional assessment of pavements is more than desirable, since a good ride quality itself may not necessarily ensure structural adequacy.…”

Determination of flexible pavement deterioration conditions using Long‐Term Pavement Performance database and artificial intelligence‐based finite element model updating

“…As a direct indicator of the material strength, modulus occurs in many ME models to predict the total number of load repetitions a pavement can bear 3,12 . Deflection, directly controlled by the modulus, is used to calculate indices determining the pavement condition such as the structural number (SN), 13,14 the structural condition index (SCI), 10 the structural index of a pavement (SIP), 15 and the deflection slope index (DSI) 16 . The development of nondestructive testing (NDT) devices such as the falling weight deflectometer (FWD), the rolling wheel deflectometer (RWD), and the traffic speed deflectometer (TSD) contributes to the obtain and applications of these indices.…”

Proposta de procedimento para análise de alternativas de manutenção em sistemas de gerência de pavimentos.

“…Os autores ressaltam que o carregamento estático não é uma representação real do tráfego que solicita os pavimentos. indicar de modo indireto, a rigidez estrutural por meio do Número Estrutural de cada seção, conhecidas ou não as características das camadas dos pavimentos(Crook et al, 2012).…”