AN ANALYTICAL STRUCTURAL INVESTIGATION OF A FAILURE ON A NEW PAVEMENT

Cracking and slippage of hot rolled asphalt wearing courses in the United Kingdom has received considerable attention and analysis in the past without any one conclusive reason for these failures. This particular failure on a newly constructed realignment on the A483 in Powys County, Wales, in 1980 was investigated using an analytical structural approach as well as semi-empirical design and non structural factors. Such an analytical approach had not been carried out on previous failures. A site investigation of deflection measurements, plate bearing tests at each layer, recovered properties of bituminous layers from block samples, and insitu density tests of the unbound material enabled analysis of the structural adequacy of the pavement layers. These layers were modelled in the finite element grid computer pavement program DEFPAV. The elastic parameters of each layer were characterised either from the above or by back analysis techniques of fitting the elastic parameters to give the actual field deflection. Although the result of the total investigation indicated that failure was due primarily to non structural factors, the analytical structural approach was able to identify, in a qualitative sense, - low stiffness in the dense bitumen macadam basecourse. Failure of the basecourse by tensile fatigue (from early life deflections). Adequacy of granular layers at the time of testing. Detrimental effects of a cracked wearing course and a slip plane. (Author/TRRL)

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/8251904803
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Proceedings of the International Symposium on Bearing Capacity of Roads and Airfields, Trondheim, June 23-25, 1982.
• Corporate Authors:

  Tapir

  Trondheim University, Gloeshaugen
  Trondheim-NTH,   Norway 

  Tapir

  Trondheim University, Gloeshaugen
  Trondheim-NTH,   Norway 
• Authors:
  • FREER-HEWISH, R
• Conference:
  • Proceedings of the International Symposium on Bearing Capacity of Roads and Airfields, Trondheim, June 23-25, 1982.
• Publication Date: 1982

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 959-970

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Asphalt pavements; Base course (Pavements); Conferences; Cracking; Deflection; Elasticity (Mechanics); Failure; Fatigue (Mechanics); Finite element method; Flexible pavements; Hot rolling; Measurement; Pavement cracking; Pavement layers; Pavements; Plate bearing test; Rolled asphalt; Stiffness; Structural analysis; Tension; Wearing course (Pavements)
• Uncontrolled Terms: Causes; Site investigation; Structural adequacy; Tensile stress
• Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
• Old TRIS Terms: Pavement deflection
• ITRD Terms: 2990: Basecourse; 9003: Cause; 8525: Conference; 5211: Cracking; 5586: Deflection; 5912: Elasticity; 5520: Failure; 6490: Finite element method; 2944: Flexible pavement; 6136: Measurement; 6279: Plate bearing test; 4989: Rolled asphalt; 8119: United Kingdom; 2980: Wearing course
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Pavements; I22: Design of Pavements, Railways and Guideways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00376502
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI)
• ISBN: 82-519-0480-3
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 30 1983 12:00AM