Evaluation of Geosynthetics Reinforcement in Flexible Pavement Structures Using Accelerated Pavement Testing

This project investigated the reinforcement performance of different types of geosynthetics placed at two locations of the aggregate base through a series of well-controlled accelerated pavement testing. To attain the target of accelerating the tests in a relatively short time period, a weak soil with a California Bearing Ratio (CBR) value of 3(%) was used to construct the subgrade of the pavement. A full-scale accelerated pavement testing facility was utilized to carry out all the accelerated tests, which has the ability to apply a bidirectional load and a loading capacity higher than 9000 kips on each of the two wheels. A total of three rounds of tests were conducted to evaluate three different types of geosynthetics, which differed in their aperture shape, stiffness, and manufacturing mechanism. During the test of each round, the deformations at a certain interval of axle load passed were measured manually. The results from the research revealed that: 1) the utilization of geosynthetics to reinforce an unbounded aggregate base that rested on a weak subgrade was very efficient, while the effectiveness of the geosynthetic materials depended significantly on their aperture shape, stiffness, and manufacturing mechanism; 2) overall, in terms of the rutting performance, the lanes with geogrids installed at the bottom of the aggregate base performed the best, followed by the one with geogrids placed at the bottom of the aggregate base, and then the control that had no reinforcement in the base; 3) compared with the control lane, the permanent deformation of the lane with extruded biaxial geogrids placed in the middle of the aggregate base was reduced by 24%, and it was reduced by 37% for the lane had geogrids installed at the bottom of the base layer; 4) compared with the control lane, the rutting at the lane with woven biaxial geogrids installed at the bottom of the aggregate base was reduced by 13%, and it was reduced by 4% for the one with geogrids placed in the middle of the base layer.

• Record URL:
  https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/tdot/long-range-planning/research/final-reports/res2013-final-reports/RES2013-30_final%20report_approved.pdf
• 
• Record URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/55042
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Tennessee, Knoxville

  Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  Perkins Hall, 1506 Middle Drive
  Knoxville, TN  United States  37996-2010

  Tennessee Department of Transportation

  Nashville, TN  United States  37219-0334

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Huang, Baoshan
  • Gong, Hongren
  • Shu, Xiang
• Publication Date: 2018-10

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 191p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Accelerated tests; Axle load force; Deformation; Evaluation and assessment; Flexible pavements; Geosynthetics; Mechanically stabilized earth; Pavement layers; Prototype tests; Rutting; Stiffness
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Materials; Pavements;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01690991
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: RES 2013-30
• Files: NTL, TRIS, ATRI, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Jan 17 2019 9:38AM