Repetitive Loading Tests on Membrane-Enveloped Road Sections during Freeze-Thaw Cycles,
Abstract
Road test sections of membrane-enveloped silt and clay soils overlain with asphalt cement concrete were subjected to repetitive dynamic plate-bearing loadings to determine their strength variations during freeze-thaw cycles. The recoverable surface deformations in the load deflection bowl were continuously measured during the loading cycles and analyzed using the Chevron layered elastic computer program to obtain the in situ resilient deformation modulus of the various section layers at different stages of the freeze-thaw cycles. The resilient stiffness of the pavement system (the total load per unit of resilient load plate deflection) was also calculated for the various freeze-thaw conditions. The modulus values of the asphalt cement concrete varied inversely with its temperature by an order of magnetide (90,000 psi to 1,300,000 psi). The resilient stiffness of the pavement system varied in the same manner by nearly a factor of eight (228.4 kips/in. to 1740.2 kips/in.). Despite the wide strength variations of the sections during freeze-thaw cycles, membrane-enveloped fine-grained soils can be utilized instead of granular materials as base and subbase layers in flexible pavements in cold regions where moisture migration is a major concern. Moisture migration did not occur at saturation levels up to 75%; thus there was no strength loss during thawing. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1978
- Accession Number
- ADA056744
Entities
People
- J. M. Stubstad
- N. J. H. Smith
- R. A. Eaton
Organizations
- Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory