Impact of dynamic loading on backcalculated stiffness of rigid airfield pavements

Abstract

The objective of this paper was to evaluate the deterioration of Portland Cement Concrete (PCC) slabs throughout trafficking. A full-scale accelerated pavement testing at the National Airport Pavement Test Facility (NAPTF) was conducted on Construction Cycle 6 (CC6) on rigid pavements with low, medium and high flexural strengths on both a concrete and asphalt stabilised base. Heavy Weight Deflectometer (HWD) testing was conducted on the test sections to backcalculate the stiffness of the layers. The majority of PCC deterioration occurred roughly within the first 1500–2000 passes of trafficking. On average, the MRS-1 (low flexural strength) PCC elastic modulus was found to decrease by 20%, from 5.0–.4 × 10⁶ (34.5–37.2 GPa) to 4.0–4.3 × 10⁶ psi (27.6–29.7 GPa), whereas the PCC elastic modulus of MRS-2 and MRS-3 was found to decrease by 17% and 22%, respectively. However, neither the MRS-2 nor MRS-3 elastic modulus was found to drop below 5.0 × 10⁶ psi (34.5 GPa) after 15,000 passes.

Keywords:

• pavement property backcalculation
• layer stiffness
• pavement deterioration
• NAPTF
• FAA

Acknowledgements

The writers would like to acknowledge the Federal Aviation Administration as the data used in this study are obtained from the FAA upon request. The authors would like to acknowledge Dr. David Brill for their guidance. The contents of the paper reflect the views of the authors, who are responsible for the facts and accuracy of the data presented within. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official views and policies of the FAA. The paper does not constitute a standard, specification or regulation.

Additional information

Funding

This work is funded by the Federal Aviation Administration under research grant #10-G-012.