Influence of inertia on falling weight deflectometer (FWD) test response

1995 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 1044-1048 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dieter F.E. Stolle ◽  
Gabriel Sedran
Keyword(s):  
Displacement Field ◽  
Load Distribution ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Inertial Forces ◽  
Falling Weight Deflectometer ◽  
Ritz Vector ◽  
First Order ◽  
Back Calculation ◽  
Falling Weight

This note addresses the appropriateness of adopting an elastostatic model for backcalculating in situ layer moduli from falling weight deflectometer (FWD) data. By approximating the elastodynamic displacement field using an elastostatic solution for a given load distribution, it is shown via Ritz vector analyses that elastostatic fields do not accurately represent the displacements associated with pavements subjected to FWD-type loading. Some improvement is, however, possible by including first-order corrections for inertial forces. The main conclusion stemming from the analyses is that elastostatic models should not be used to estimate in situ moduli. Key words : pavement, elastodynamic analysis, Ritz vectors, back-calculation, structural integrity.

Comparison of Simplified Elastostatic and Elastodynamic Models for Falling Weight Deflectometer Data Interpretation

1996 ◽  
Vol 1540 (1) ◽  
pp. 72-76
Author(s):  
Dieter F. E. Stolle
Keyword(s):  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Data Interpretation ◽  
Falling Weight Deflectometer ◽  
System Parameters ◽  
Dynamic Impedance ◽  
In Situ Conditions ◽  
Subgrade Modulus ◽  
Falling Weight

The characterization of pavements and subgrades by interpreting falling weight deflectometer data is discussed. Two backcalculation strategies—one based on an approximate elastostatic model and the other on dynamic impedance for a two-layered pavement subgrade system—are presented and applied to data collected along experimental pavement sections. Both strategies characterize the structural integrity of a pavement by equivalent asphalt thickness and the stiffness of the subgrade by effective subgrade modulus. It is indicated that, although both procedures predict similar trends, the values of the system parameters differ, particularly the equivalent asphalt thickness. The net pavement-subgrade stiffness predicted using dynamic impedance was found to be consistently higher than that obtained with the elastostatic model for the data studied. The capability of dynamic impedance to identify variations of in situ conditions along a section of roadway is also demonstrated.

scholarly journals The Application of Frequency-Temperature Superposition Principle for Back-Calculation of Falling Weight Deflectometer

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 132
Author(s):  
Jung-Chun Lai ◽  
Jung Liu ◽  
Chien-Wei Huang
Keyword(s):  
Evaluation Model ◽  
Superposition Principle ◽  
Test Site ◽  
Temperature Correction ◽  
Falling Weight Deflectometer ◽  
Temperature Superposition ◽  
Back Calculation ◽  
Falling Weight ◽  
Frequency Temperature

The falling weight deflectometer (FWD) is a widely used nondestructive test (NDT) device in pavement infrastructure. A FWD test measures the surface deflections subjected to an applied impact loading and the modulus of pavement layers can be determined by back-calculating the measured deflections. However, the modulus of asphalt layers is significantly influenced by temperature; hence, the temperature correction must be considered in back-calculation to evaluate the moduli of asphalt layers at a reference temperature. In addition, the in situ temperature at various pavement depths is difficult to measure. A model for evaluating the temperature at various depths must be established to estimate the in situ temperature of asphalt layers. This study collected the temperature data from a FWD test site to establish a temperature-evaluation model for various depths. The cored specimens from the test site were obtained to conduct dynamic modulus tests for asphalt layers. The FWD tests were applied at the FWD test site and the back-calculation was performed with temperature correction using the frequency-temperature superposition principle. The back-calculated moduli of asphalt layers were compared with the master curve of dynamic modulus to verify the application of the frequency-temperature superposition principle for FWD back-calculation. The results show that the proposed temperature-evaluation model can effectively evaluate the temperature at various depths of pavement. Moreover, the frequency-temperature superposition principle can be effectively employed to conduct temperature correction for FWD back-calculation.

scholarly journals Application of FWD data in developing dynamic modulus master curves of in-service asphalt layers

2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 661-671 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nader SOLATIFAR ◽  
Amir KAVUSSI ◽  
Mojtaba ABBASGHORBANI ◽  
Henrikas SIVILEVIČIUS
Keyword(s):  
Dynamic Modulus ◽  
Master Curve ◽  
Asphalt Pavements ◽  
Falling Weight Deflectometer ◽  
Master Curves ◽  
Simple Method ◽  
High Frequencies ◽  
Design Guide ◽  
Falling Weight

This paper presents a simple method to determine dynamic modulus master curve of asphalt layers by con­ducting Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) for use in mechanistic-empirical rehabilitation. Ten new and rehabilitated in-service asphalt pavements with different physical characteristics were selected in Khuzestan and Kerman provinces in south of Iran. FWD testing was conducted on these pavements and core samples were taken. Witczak prediction model was used to predict dynamic modulus master curves from mix volumetric properties as well as the bitumen viscosity characteristics. Adjustments were made using FWD results and the in-situ dynamic modulus master curves were ob­tained. In order to evaluate the efficiency of the proposed method, the results were compared with those obtained by us­ing the developed procedure of the state-of-the-practice, Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG). Re­sults showed the proposed method has several advantages over MEPDG including: (1) simplicity in directly constructing in-situ dynamic modulus master curve; (2) developing in-situ master curve in the same trend with the main predicted one; (3) covering the large differences between in-situ and predicted master curve in high frequencies; and (4) the value obtained for the in-situ dynamic modulus is the same as the value measured by the FWD for a corresponding frequency.

scholarly journals Assessment Of Designed And Measured Mechanistic Parameters Of Concrete Pavement Foundation

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-57
Author(s):  
Yang Zhang ◽  
Pavana Vennapusa ◽  
David Joshua White
Keyword(s):  
California Bearing Ratio ◽  
Cone Penetrometer ◽  
Falling Weight Deflectometer ◽  
In Situ Tests ◽  
Target Value ◽  
Dynamic Cone Penetrometer ◽  
Support Conditions ◽  
Falling Weight ◽  
Pavement Foundation

There are plenty of in situ tests available to examine pavement foundation performance regarding stiffness and support conditions. This study evaluates several in situ tests of the stiffness and support conditions of concrete pavement foundation layers. The principal objective of this study was to evaluate the outputs from Dynamic Cone Penetrometer tests and Falling Weight Deflectometer tests. The California Bearing Ratio from Dynamic Cone Penetrometer tests and the deflection data from Falling Weight Deflectometer tests were correlated to the design parameter – modulus of subgrade reaction k through correlations employed in pavement design manuals. Three methods for obtaining the k values were conducted, with the intent to evaluate which method provides the results most similar to the target value and whether the studied correlations are reliable. The back-calculated k values from Falling Weight Deflectometer deflections and the weak layer California Bearing Ratio correlated k values based on the Portland Cement Association method were close to the target value, while the California Bearing Ratio empirically correlated k based on the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials method presented values significantly higher than the target value. Those previously reported correlations were likely to overestimate the k values based on subgrade California Bearing Ratio values.

Visco-Elastic Back-Calculation of Traffic Speed Deflectometer Measurements

2019 ◽  
Vol 2673 (12) ◽  
pp. 439-448 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christoffer P. Nielsen
Keyword(s):  
Calculation Procedure ◽  
Falling Weight Deflectometer ◽  
Calculation Algorithm ◽  
Structural Evaluation ◽  
Driving Speed ◽  
Back Calculation ◽  
Traffic Speed ◽  
Falling Weight ◽  
Calculation Procedures ◽  
Project Level

The traffic speed deflectometer (TSD) has proven a valuable tool for network level structural evaluation. At the project level, however, the use of TSD data is still quite limited. An obstacle to the use of TSD at the project level is that the standard approaches to back-calculation of pavement properties are based on the falling weight deflectometer (FWD). The FWD experiment is similar, but not equivalent, to the TSD experiment, and therefore it is not straightforward to apply the traditional FWD back-calculation procedures to TSD data. In this paper, a TSD-specific back-calculation procedure is presented. The procedure is based on a layered linear visco-elastic pavement model and takes the driving speed of the vehicle into account. This is in contrast to most existing back-calculation procedures, which treat the problem as static and the pavement as purely elastic. The developed back-calculation procedure is tested on both simulated and real TSD data. The real TSD measurements exhibit significant effects of damping and visco-elasticity. The back-calculation algorithm is able to capture these effects and yields model fits in excellent agreement with the measured values.

A practical approach to falling-weight deflectometer (FWD) data reduction

2005 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 641-645 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dieter Stolle ◽  
Peijun Guo
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Shear Modulus ◽  
Falling Weight Deflectometer ◽  
Layer System ◽  
Surface Loading ◽  
Back Calculation ◽  
Pavement Response ◽  
Subgrade Modulus ◽  
Falling Weight

The authors present a simplified methodology for preprocessing falling-weight deflectometer (FWD) data, which identify a pseudo-static pavement response to surface loading. This allows one to employ static analysis to back-calculate the mechanical properties of the pavement–subgrade system. It is shown that the subgrade modulus can be identified, independent of the details of the pavement structure itself, at least for a two-layer system. The quality of the effective shear modulus is sensitive to the value of Poisson's ratio selected.Key words: pavement–subgrade system, subgrade modulus, back-calculation, FWD.

Relationship Between Backcalculated and Laboratory-Measured Resilient Moduli of Unbound Materials

2003 ◽  
Vol 1849 (1) ◽  
pp. 177-182 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerardo W. Flintsch ◽  
Imad L. Al-Qadi ◽  
Youngjin Park ◽  
Thomas L. Brandon ◽  
Alexander Appea
Keyword(s):  
Resilient Modulus ◽  
Shift Factor ◽  
Falling Weight Deflectometer ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Structural Capacity ◽  
Bulk Stress ◽  
Stress Dependent ◽  
Falling Weight ◽  
Virginia Smart Road

The resilient moduli of an unbound granular subbase (used at the Virginia Smart Road) obtained from laboratory testing were compared with those backcalculated from in situ falling weight deflectometer deflection measurements. Testing was performed on the surface of the finished subgrade and granular subbase layer shortly after construction. The structural capacity of the constructed subgrade and the depth to a stiff layer were computed for 12 experimental sections. The in situ resilient modulus of the granular subbase layer (21-B) was then back-calculated from the deflections measured on top of that layer. The back-calculated layer moduli were clearly stress-dependent, showing an exponential behavior with the bulk stress in the center of the layer. Resilient modulus test results of laboratory-compacted specimens confirmed the stress dependence of the subbase material modulus. Three resilient modulus models were fitted to the data. Although all three models showed good coefficients of determination ( R2 > 90%), the K-θ model was selected because of its simplicity. The correlation between field-backcalculated and laboratory-measured resilient moduli was found to be strong. However, when the stress in the middle of the layer was used in the K-θ model, a shift in the resilient modulus, θ, was observed. This finding suggests that a simple shift factor could be used for the range of stress values considered.

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