Bech, Nathan
(2018)
Use of Falling Weight Deflectometer Testing in the Pavement ME AC/AC Overlay Design Procedure.
Master's Thesis, University of Pittsburgh.
(Unpublished)
Abstract
Falling weight deflectometer (FWD) testing consists of applying an impact load to the pavement and recording the deflection of the pavement surface at specified distances from the point of impact. It is used to determine the structural capacity of an existing pavement and to backcalculate the stiffness of each layer in the pavement structure. This research focuses on the use of FWD data when designing asphalt concrete over asphalt concrete (AC/AC) overlays using the Pavement ME design procedure. There are four main components to this study. First, the performance prediction of the Pavement ME AC/AC overlay design procedure is examined in detail and is evaluated using field data from the Long-Term Pavement Performance Program (LTPP). Second, three methods for determining the stiffness of the existing asphalt concrete are compared using field and laboratory data, and the effect that the differences between methods have on design is quantified. Third, additional LTPP data is used to examine the relationship between FWD data and observed pavement distress in order to identify FWD parameters that are correlated with damage in the existing asphalt. Finally, LTPP data is used to develop adjustment factors for the Pavement ME AC/AC overlay design procedure that account for the difference between methods used to determine the stiffness of the existing asphalt.
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Details
| Item Type: |
University of Pittsburgh ETD
|
| Status: |
Unpublished |
| Creators/Authors: |
|
| ETD Committee: |
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| Date: |
20 September 2018 |
| Date Type: |
Publication |
| Defense Date: |
18 May 2018 |
| Approval Date: |
20 September 2018 |
| Submission Date: |
2 July 2018 |
| Access Restriction: |
No restriction; Release the ETD for access worldwide immediately. |
| Number of Pages: |
403 |
| Institution: |
University of Pittsburgh |
| Schools and Programs: |
Swanson School of Engineering > Civil and Environmental Engineering |
| Degree: |
MS - Master of Science |
| Thesis Type: |
Master's Thesis |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
falling weight deflectometer, asphalt concrete, pavement design, mechanistic-empirical pavement design |
| Date Deposited: |
20 Sep 2018 18:05 |
| Last Modified: |
20 Sep 2018 18:05 |
| URI: |
http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/34598 |
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