USE OF THE FALLING WEIGHT DEFLECTOMETER TO PREDICT DAMAGE POTENTIAL ON ALASKAN HIGHWAYS DURING SPRING THAW

Benkelman beam data have been widely used to design overlays and establish load restrictions. However, research carried out in Alaska has shown that their use can result in gross errors in areas where freeze-thaw conditions prevail. It has long been known that the shape of the deflection basin is related to the life of the pavement. As a result, a method has been developed to determine damage potential and thaw depth based on tests with falling weight deflectometer (FWD). This method adjusts the measured center deflection to the deflection that would have been obtained had no frozen materials been present in the pavement structure. Because this adjusted FWD deflection is essentially equivalent to the traditional Benkelman beam deflection (for relatively thin asphalt-surfaced pavements at the same test load), conventional methods can be used to design overlays and establish load restrictions.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1983/930/930-007.pdf
• Summary URL:
  https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=USE+OF+THE+FALLING+WEIGHT+DEFLECTOMETER+TO+PREDICT+DAMAGE+POTENTIAL+ON+ALASKAN+HIGHWAYS+DURING+SPRING+THAW&author=R.+Stubstad&author=B.+Connor&publication_year=1983
• Availability:
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• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Strength and Deformation Characteristics of Pavement Sections. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved
• Authors:
  • Stubstad, Richard N
  • Connor, Billy
• Publication Date: 1983

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; Photos; References;
• Pagination: pp 46-51
• Monograph Title: Pavement design, performance, and rehabilitation
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 930
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Benkelman beam; Defects; Depth; Falling weight deflectometers; Forecasting; Load limits; Overlays (Pavements); Pavements; Thaw; Thickness
• Uncontrolled Terms: Pavement damage; Spring breakup
• Geographic Terms: Alaska
• Old TRIS Terms: Depth indicators
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Highways; Pavements; I23: Properties of Road Surfaces;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00385688
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309036208
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Jul 30 1988 12:00AM