Correlation between pavement temperature and deflection basin form factors of asphalt pavement

ABSTRACT

In this study, the effect produced by pavement temperature change on asphalt pavement deflection basin form factor was studied. To determine the correlation between temperature and deflection basin factors of asphalt pavement, deflection tests were carried out on three roads with various thicknesses at different temperatures in one-year cycle. The air temperature and pavement temperature at different depths of the pavement were also measured during falling weight deflectometer testing. First, based on the experimental results and also by taking into account the difference between heating and cooling cycles of the air, a temperature model of asphalt pavement was developed to determine the pavement temperature. Then the relationship between the maximum deflection value and pavement temperature as well as the temperature correction relations was established through regression analysis. Finally, the relationship between the other deflection basin form factors and the pavement temperature was analysed. The results demonstrate that the pavement temperature prediction model is simple yet highly accurate, indicating the inherent correlation between the deflection basin correction factors and pavement temperature. The temperature correction relations of deflection basin factors built in this study are accurate and reasonable, which would be helpful for quality testing and modulus back-calculation of asphalt pavement.

KEYWORDS:

• Asphalt pavement
• falling weight deflectometer
• deflection basin shape factor
• pavement temperature
• temperature prediction model
• temperature correction

Acknowledgements

The authors are very grateful to the test field support of Communications Department of Henan Province. The author (YXZ) thanks The University of Akron for providing the visiting opportunity. Special thanks are extended anonymous reviewers for their value comments.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Natural Science Foundation of Henan [grant number 51508114]; Science and Technology Program of Communications Department of Henan Province [grant number 2014K37-2]; Foundation Sponsored by Program for Science & Technology Innovation Talents in Universities of Henan Province [grant number 16HASTIT012]; Outstanding Young Talent Research Fund of Zhengzhou University [grant number 1421323079].