EVALUATION OF MODULI AND THICKNESSES OF PAVEMENT SYSTEMS BY SPECTRAL-ANALYSIS-OF-SURFACE-WAVES METHOD

The Spectral-Analysis-of-Surface-Waves (SASW) method is a nondestructive method for evaluating the moduli and thicknesses of pavement systems. By means of a transient impact applied to the surface of a pavement system or soil deposit, a group of waves with different frequency components is transmitted to the medium. By analysis of the phase information for each frequency determined between two receivers located on the surrface, Rayleigh wave velocity, shear was velocity, and eventually elastic moduli and thicknesses of the various layers in the pavement system are determined. The method has the advantages of being: (1) fast and economical, (2) nondestructive, and (3) capable of full automation. Preliminary studies of the feasibility and testing procedure of the SASW method were presented in Research Report 256-2. This initial work has been improved and expanded in the following areas: (1) the testing procedure has been refined with a resulting reduction in scatter in the data, and (2) a simple inversion method for elimination of the effect of high- or low-velocity shallow layers has been developed. Three series of tests were performed on State Highway 71 near Columbus, Texas. These tests were performed on a continuously reinforced concrete pavement, an asphaltic-concrete shoulder, and a soil median. The moduli determined with the SASW method are at most within 11 to 20 percent of those determined by the crosshole seismic method. (FHWA)

• Record URL:
  • https://library.ctr.utexas.edu/digitized/texasarchive/phase2/256-4-CTR.pdf
• Corporate Authors:

  Texas Transportation Institute

  Texas A&M University System, 1600 E Lamar Boulevard
  Arlington, TX  United States  76011

  University of Kentucky, Lexington

  School of Engineering
  Lexington, KY  United States  40506

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Nazarian, S
  • Stokoe II, K H
• Publication Date: 1983-12

Media Info

• Pagination: 138 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Asphalt concrete; Continuously reinforced concrete pavements; Evaluation; Modulus of elasticity; Nondestructive tests; Pavement performance; Pavements; Rayleigh waves; Road shoulders; S waves; Spectrum analysis; Thickness; Wave motion
• Candidate Terms: Spectral analysis of surface waves
• Uncontrolled Terms: Pavement thickness; Wave velocity
• Subject Areas: Highways; Pavements; I23: Properties of Road Surfaces;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00388821
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA-TX-83-26+256-4 Intrm Rpt.
• Contract Numbers: Res Study 3-8-80-256
• Files: TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Sep 28 1984 12:00AM