USA Banner

Official US Government Icon

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure Site Icon

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

U.S. Department of Transportation U.S. Department of Transportation Icon United States Department of Transportation United States Department of Transportation
Turner-Fairbank logo
OFFICE OF RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND TECHNOLOGY AT THE TURNER-FAIRBANK HIGHWAY RESEARCH CENTER

Incorporating a Curling Factor in Layer Moduli Backcalculation Using Long-Term Pavement Performance's Seasonal Monitoring Program Falling Weight Deflectometer Data for Jointed Pavement Test Sections

Project Information

Project ID:
FHWA-PROJ-14-0131
Project Abstract:

Pavement layer moduli backcalculation using Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) data is widely used among the pavement engineering community to evaluate the structural capacity of existing pavements, and the backcalculated layer moduli provide valuable information for highway engineers when they perform rehabilitation and reconstruction designs. The selected backcalculation algorithm is based on a sound engineering model to simulate the actual pavement structure so that the representative layer moduli are backcalculated for rehabilitation and reconstruction designs. Different types of pavements respond differently to temperature changes. The resilient modulus of asphalt concrete changes dramatically as the temperature changes while the concrete resilient modulus is not so sensitive to the temperature change. But the concrete slabs curl up or down due to the changing temperature gradient, which changes the contact condition between the slabs and the underlying layer. The slab-on-grade model is often used for jointed concrete pavements (JCP) to backcalculate layer moduli, which assumes that the concrete slabs are lying flat and in full contact with the underlying layer. The proposed data analysis is to incorporate a curling factor in the algorithm when backcalculating layer moduli using the Long-Term Pavement Performance Program's FWD data under the Seasonal Monitoring Program for the JCP sections. The curling factor, an equivalent temperature gradient, will be backcalculated in addition to the layer moduli in this algorithm. The curling factor will account for the FWD data variation within a day so that a constant set of layer moduli are backcalculated for a single testing day. The constant set of layer moduli are more representative for use in the evaluation of existing JCP and the curling factor provides useful information as regard to the curling susceptibility of the JCP.

Goals:

To provide a formalized backcalculation procedure that incorporates resultant temperature gradient.

Project Status:
Completed
Project Funding Amount (Contract Award Amount):
$138,092.00
Start Date:
End Date:
Public Access Plan:
No
Grant/Contract ID:
  • DTFH6114C00016
FHWA Program Area:
  • Infrastructure
Fiscal Year / AMRP Program / AMRP Activity:
  • FY 2002-2022 / Infrastructure / Long-Term Infrastructure Performance
FHWA Activity:
  • Long-Term Pavement Performance

AMRP = Annual Modal Research Plan

Contact Information

First Name:
Larry
Middle Initial:
J
Last Name:
Wiser
Phone Number:
(202) 493-3079
Email Address:
Team:
Long-Term Infrastructure Performance Team
Office:
Office of Infrastructure Research and Development
Office Code:
HRDI-30

Management Organizations

Sponsor Organization

Organization Role:
Sponsor Organization
Organization:
Federal Highway Administration: Office of Research, Development, and Technology - Office of Infrastructure Research and Development
Contact Role:
Project Lead

Managing Organization

Organization Role:
Project Managing Organization
Organization:
Federal Highway Administration: Office of Research, Development, and Technology - Office of Infrastructure Research and Development
Contact Role:
Project Contact

Performing Organization

Organization Role:
Performing Organization
Organization:
Federal Highway Administration: Office of Research, Development, and Technology - Office of Infrastructure Research and Development
Contact Role:
Project Contact

Partners and Other Sponsor/Managing/Performing Organizations

Organization Role:
Partner: Advisory
Organization:
Federal Highway Administration: Office of Research, Development, and Technology - Office of Infrastructure Research and Development
Organization Role:
Partner: Technical
Organization:
Federal Highway Administration: Office of Infrastructure - Office of Asset Management, Pavement, and Construction
Organization Role:
Other
Organization:
Federal Highway Administration: Resource Center
Organization Role:
Partner: Technical
Organization:
TRB Expert Task Group