MECHANISMS CONTROLLING SEASONAL VARIATION OF MOISTURE CONTENT IN ROADS

Field observations on instrumented highway sections with respect to moisture content distributions at different periods from early Spring to late Autumn are presented for a region typical of a cold climate. The water contents were determined with the Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR) technique with probes placed at different depths beneath the pavement and in the unpaved shoulder. In Spring, the base and sub-base granular materials are near saturation in response to infiltration through the unpaved shoulders while evaporation during the Summer-Autumn period controls the moisture content underneath the uncracked pavement. A simple one-dimensional mass-transfer model suggests that the evaporation rate in the field comparable with the field measurements is about 0.01 cm/hour. Water content distribution in the unpaved shoulder, however, is controlled by both evaporation and rainfall. For the covering abstract see ITRD E108441.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/84878250502
• Corporate Authors:

  Asociacion Tecnica de Carreteras

  Monte Equinza 24
  Madrid,   Spain 
• Authors:
  • KONRAD, J-M
  • ROY, M
• Conference:
  • INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON SUBDRAINAGE IN ROADWAY PAVEMENTS AND SUBGRADES, HELD GRANADA, SPAIN, 11-13 NOVEMBER 1998
• Publication Date: 1998

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 259-66

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Drainage; Moisture content; Pavements; Weather
• ITRD Terms: 2937: Drainage; 5920: Moisture content; 2955: Pavement; 2545: Weather
• Subject Areas: Highways; Hydraulics and Hydrology; Pavements;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00807317
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• ISBN: 84-87825-05-02
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Apr 4 2001 12:00AM