Parks Highway Load Restriction Study Field Data Analysis

The loss of pavement strength during spring thaw could result in excessive road damage under applied traffic loads. Damage assessment associated with the critical thaw period is essential to evaluate current load restriction policies. The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (AKDOT&PF) proposed a plan which will provide an engineering analysis of field conditions with 100% loads on the Parks Highway for 1996. The study was jointly conducted by AKDOT&PF, the Alaska Trucking Association (ATA), and the University of Alaska Fairbanks Institute of Northern Engineering Transportation Research Center (TRC). Extensive field data were collected and analyzed in an effort to monitor pavement damage during the spring of 1996 and determine the loss of pavement strength. The field data included: (1) Truck traffic data using the Chulitna weigh in motion (WIM) station and the scalehouses at Eagle River and Ester. WIM data were obtained for both northbound and southbound traffic from 1993-1996. Scalehouse data were obtained for Spring 1996 for comparison with WIM spring data. (2) Pavement temperature data (Spring 1996) for seven ground temperature sites representing typical conditions along the Parks Highway. (3) Profilometer data for pavement roughness and rutting obtained yearly (1993,1995, and 1996) and also monitored over shorter intervals during Spring 1996. In addition, rut-bar measurements at selected points were also monitored during Spring 1996. (4) Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) data for both the northbound and southbound lanes for selected sections in lengths of eight 8 km (5 mile) along the Parks Highway. These data were used in backcalculation of pavement layer moduli, fatigue strength of the asphalt concrete surface, and corresponding damage factors resulting from spring-thaw weakening. Field data were used to analyze the damage effects on the Parks Highways. These included: analysis and comparison of WIM and scalehouse traffic data; determination of overweight axle loads and vehicles; comparison of north- and southbound traffic and its effect on pavement damage; analysis of ground temperature for thaw initiation and propagation; and simulation of the pavement's remaining life, with and without load restrictions, using mechanistic methods. This report present results of these analyses. The appendices represent the field data collected during this project.

• Record URL:
  http://ine.uaf.edu/autc/files/2011/02/INE_TRC_97_11_v1.pdf
• Record URL:
  http://ine.uaf.edu/autc/files/2011/02/INE_TRC_97_11_v2.pdf
• 
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Cover title: Parks Highway Load Restriction Study: Field Data Analysis. This report consists of two volumes. Volume 1 (107p.) is the report and figures; Volume 2 (546p.) is the Appendices A-F. Title page date: February 1998.
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Alaska, Fairbanks

  Institute of Northern Engineering, P.O. Box 755910
  Fairbanks, AK  United States  99775-5900

  Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities

  Engineering and Operations Standards, 3132 Channel Drive
  Juneau, AK  United States  99801

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Raad, Lutfi
  • Minassian, G
  • Saboundjian, S
  • Stone, M
  • Yuan, X
  • Zhang, T
  • Bush, David
• Publication Date: 1998-3

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 653p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Falling weight deflectometers; Freeze thaw durability; Load limits; Pavement distress; Pavement performance; Roughness; Rutting; Temperature; Traffic data; Traffic loads; Truck traffic; Weigh in motion
• Geographic Terms: Alaska
• Subject Areas: Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Pavements; I22: Design of Pavements, Railways and Guideways; I61: Equipment and Maintenance Methods;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01538125
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: AK-RD-98-07, INE/TRC 97.11
• Files: TRIS, ATRI, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Sep 25 2014 8:59AM