Improving the Accuracy and Usability of Iowa Falling Weight Deflectometer Data

This study aims to improve the accuracy and usability of Iowa Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) data by incorporating significant enhancements into the fully-automated software system for rapid processing of the FWD data. These enhancements include: (1) refined prediction of backcalculated pavement layer modulus through deflection basin matching/optimization, (2) temperature correction of backcalculated Hot-Mix Asphalt (HMA) layer modulus, (3) computation of 1993 American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) design guide related effective SN (SNeff) and effective k-value (keff ), (4) computation of Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) asphalt concrete (AC) overlay design related Structural Rating (SR) and kvalue (k), and (5) enhancement of user-friendliness of input and output from the software tool. A high-quality, easy-to-use backcalculation software package, referred to as, I-BACK: the Iowa Pavement Backcalculation Software, was developed to achieve the project goals and requirements. This report presents theoretical background behind the incorporated enhancements as well as guidance on the use of I-BACK developed in this study. The developed tool, I-BACK, provides more fine-tuned artificial neural networks (ANN) pavement backcalculation results by implementation of deflection basin matching optimizer for conventional flexible, full-depth, rigid, and composite pavements. Implementation of this tool within Iowa DOT will facilitate accurate pavement structural evaluation and rehabilitation designs for pavement/asset management purposes. This research has also set the framework for the development of a simplified FWD deflection based HMA overlay design procedure which is one of the recommended areas for future research.

• Record URL:
  http://publications.iowa.gov/14893/1/IA_DOT_InTrans_fall_weight_deflect_analysis_tool_2013.pdf
• 
• Summary URL:
  http://publications.iowa.gov/14894/1/IA_DOT_InTrans_fall_weight_deflect_analysis_tool_tech_trans2013.pdf
• Corporate Authors:

  Iowa State University, Ames

  Institute for Transportation
  Ames, IA  United States  50010-8664

  Iowa Department of Transportation

  800 Lincoln Way
  Ames, IA  United States  50010

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Ceylan, Halil
  • 0000-0003-1133-0366
  • Gopalakrishnan, Kasthurirangan
  • Kim, Sunghwan
  • 0000-0002-1239-2350
• Publication Date: 2013-5

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 50p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Backcalculation; Bituminous overlays; Condition surveys; Data analysis; Falling weight deflectometers; Hot mix asphalt; Neural networks; Pavement layers; Software
• Geographic Terms: Iowa
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Highways; Pavements; I23: Properties of Road Surfaces;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01493322
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: InTrans Project 11-415
• Files: TRIS, ATRI, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Sep 20 2013 9:04AM