Evaluation of Procedures for Backcalculation of Airfield Pavement Moduli
Abstract
During the period October 2013 through August 2014, research was conducted at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) in Vicksburg, MS, to improve the U.S. Air Force s (USAF s) airfield pavement structural evaluation procedures. Determining the structural integrity of airfield pavement relies on the analysis of pavement deflection data collected using the falling weight deflectometer (FWD) or heavy weight deflectometer (HWD). These deflection data are used to backcalculate pavement layer moduli, which are then used to determine the number of allowable passes and the allowable load that the pavement is able to support. The current airfield pavement analysis procedures, including the processes used for backcalculating layer moduli, were reviewed and compared to processes utilized by other transportation agencies and those proposed by academia. Airfield deflection data were then analyzed using current and proposed backcalculation procedures to provide recommendations for improving both the software and processes used by the USAF in evaluating the structural capacity of airfield pavement assets. This report summarizes the literature review, presents analyses of FWD/HWD data, and provides recommendations for improving the procedures used for backcalculation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 2015
- Accession Number
- ADA620913
Entities
People
- Alessandra Bianchini
- Carlos R. Gonzalez
- Cayce S. Dossett
- Lucy P. Priddy
Organizations
- Engineer Research and Development Center