Material Characterization and Seasonal Variation in Material Properties


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CAIT project no.: 100 RU6701

Fiscal Year: 2000/2001

Status: Final

Rutgers-CAIT Author(s): Nenad Gucunski, Rambod Hadidi

External Author(s): Sameh Zaghloul, Hudson Jackson, Anthony Chmiel

Sponsor(s): NJDOT, FHWA-USDOT

Summary:

The main objective of this study was to calibrate the AASHTO pavement temperature and seasonal adjustment models, or to develop new models. The models were based on New Jersey conditions and also will be used in network- and project-level FWD analysis.

For this study, 24 pavement sections were instrumented and a nondestructive testing (NDT) program was conducted for two years. The main task of the instrumentation was to monitor environmental parameters: air and pavement temperature, moisture, frost/thaw depth and rainfall.

Seismic Pavement Analyzer (SPA) and Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) testing were used to evaluate the pavements’ structural response and its properties. This testing was done on a monthly basis, except during the spring thaw when it was conducted on a bi-monthly basis.

The models were developed by performing statistical analyses, such as analysis of variance (ANOVA) and regression analysis.

Several important conclusions were developed with respect to the applicability of the Enhanced Climatic Model (EICM) to New Jersey conditions.

Results of NDT evaluations provided strong correlations between environmental parameters, except the groundwater level and overall pavement deflection, difference in pavement deflections, and the effective pavement modulus obtained from FWD evaluation.

Seismic tests provided a strong correlation between the AC modulus and pavement temperature. It is recommended that for the FWD data corrections using the temperature adjustment model be followed by the seasonal adjustment model. A number of other conclusions and recommendations related to measurement and relationships of environmental variables and material characteristics and effects of drainage conditions are provided.