• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.39-46
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• 2010

In 2007, Iowa department of transportation (DOT) initiated to run the falling weight deflectometer (FWD) network-level testing along Iowa highway and road systems and to build a comprehensive database of deflection data and subsequent structural analysis, which are used for detecting pavement structure failure, estimating expected life, and calculating overlay requirements over a desired design life. Iowa's current FWD networklevel testing protocol requires that pavements are tested at three-drop level with 8-deflection basin collected at each drop level. The test point is determined by the length of the tested pavement section. However, the current FWD network-level program could cover about 20% of Iowa's highway and road systems annually. Therefore, the current FWD network-level test protocol should be simplified to test more than 20% of Iowa's highway and road systems for the network-level test annually. The main objective of this research is to investigate if the minimum number of drop levels and test points could be reduced to increase the testing production rate and reduce the cost of testing and traffic control without sacrificing the quality of the FWD data. Based upon the limited FWD network-level test data of eighty-three composite pavement sections, there was no significant difference between the mean values of three different response parameters when the number of drop levels and test points were reduced from the current FWD network-level testing protocol. As a result, the production rate of FWD tests would increase and the cost of testing and traffic control would be decreased without sacrificing the quality of the FWD data.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.8 no.4 s.30
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• pp.75-85
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• 2006

Plate Bearing Test(PBT) and California Bearing Ratio Test(CBR) usually have been used to evaluate the bearing capacity of sub-layer in pavement system. However, these tests have shortcomings for which man powers and time are spent greatly. Many researchers proposed a simple Dynamic Cone Penetrometer Test(DCP) to evaluate the bearing capacity of sub-layers in pavement system. This study performed several field bearing capacity tests(DCP, PBT, CBR, FWD) to evaluate field performance of DCP on sub-base and subgrade at four test sections simultaneously. The results showed that DCPI, $M_{FWD}$, and $PBT_K_{30}$ are highly correlated, but CBR and other test are not. This study proposed the following regression models between FWD, DCP, and PBT: $$M_{FWD}=993.10\Big(\frac{1}{DCPI}\Big)+33.95\;R^2=0.77$$ $$M_{FWD}=3.7533K_{30}+23.085\;R^2=0.69$$

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.87-99
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• 1993

The computer program, MFPD, which is used to backcalculate the layer moduli of asphalt concrete pavement system is modified by contemplating the depth to virtual bedrock in this study. An algorithm to estimate the depth to virtual bedrock is developed through the analysis of FWD impulse load duration and the compression wave velocity of ground. For verification of the modified MFPD, FWD is fabricated and then FWD field tests and verification tests are carried out at the test sites. Plate loading tests and surface wave propagation tests are performed at FWD test sites. Laboratory tests (Marshall stability tests, unconfined compression tests) for sampled asphalt concrete specimens are also carried out. From comparison analysis, the validity and applicability of the modified MFPD are verified.

• Proceedings of the Korean Geotechical Society Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.279-286
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• 2002

Present all sorts of failure or no failure test methods are done for evaluate structural ability of pavement. It are Plane Plate Test, CBR Test, Benkelman Beam Test, FWD, Dynaflect, etc. but, each method of test not expect compatibility because the result very different by each method of test. Now among pavement's method of evaluation, no failure test gradually use because It quickly and simply obtain pavement's elastic modulus of each layer. But, It accompany expensiveness equipment, and It's degree of trust is lower against expensiveness equipment. Therefore this research practice comparative trustworthy Plane Plate Test, comparative low cost and quick Small FWD Test. And analyzed relation of Plane Plate Test with Small FWD Test.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.69-78
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• 2014

PURPOSES : The purpose of this paper is showing that the state of pavement sublayers can be evaluated differently according to direction of FWD. METHODS : The concrete pavement slabs above subgrade without anything, subgrade with cavity, and box culvert were modeled by finite element method(FEM). The modeled pavements were analyzed by changing the direction of falling weight deflectometer(FWD). The deflection results obtained from FEM were used to calculate radius of relative stiffness and composite modulus of subgrade reaction using AREA method. Then, the analyzed results were compared to the results of the test performed at the Korea Expressway Corporation(KEC) test road. RESULTS : The composite modulus of subgrade reaction increased with subgrade elastic modulus, while radius of relative stiffness decreased. The pavement sections of pure earth showed the consistent results regardless of FWD direction. In case there was cavity, the radius of relative stiffness was larger and composite modulus of subgrade reaction was smaller when FWD was leaving the cavity than when approaching the cavity. This pattern became clear when the cavity got larger. In case of the section with box culvert, the pattern was opposite to the case of cavity. When the soil cover depth increased, the effect of box culvert got smaller. When the load was applied far from the cavity and box culvert, the effect was also declined. The test performed at the KEC test road showed identical results to those of finite element analysis. CONCLUSIONS : The direction of FWD should be considered in evaluation of the state of pavement sublayers because it can be evaluated differently even under identical condition.

• 한국도로학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2000.11a
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• pp.9-13
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• 2000

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.2D
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• pp.227-234
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• 2008

This study examines which models are more suitable for representing mechanical property of unbound materials to analyze behavior of asphalt pavement structure. Results from FWD (Falling Weight Deflectometer) test were used to apply to nonlinear elastic model. The new method which can deduct material constants of nonlinear elastic model is suggested from FWD test data rather than laboratory resilient modulus ($M_R$) test. It is confirmed that the material constants are within the common range in subbase. Test output from FWD and MDD (Multi-Depth Deflectometer) was used to verify reliability of the model. From the results of verification, this study shows that a non-linear elastic model agrees to MDD test data more than a linear elastic model does.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.73-80
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• 2017

PURPOSES : This paper presents a comparison study between dynamic and static analyses of falling weight deflectometer (FWD) testing, which is a test used for evaluating layered material stiffness. METHODS: In this study, a forward model, based on nonlinear subgrade models, was developed via finite element analysis using ABAQUS. The subgrade material coefficients from granular and fine-grained soils were used to represent strong and weak subgrade stiffnesses, respectively. Furthermore, the nonlinearity in the analysis of multi-load FWD deflection measured from intact PCC slab was investigated using the deflection data obtained in this study. This pavement has a 14-inch-thick PCC slab over fine-grained soil. RESULTS: From case studies related to the nonlinearity of FWD analysis measured from intact PCC slab, a nonlinear subgrade model-based comparison study between the static and dynamic analyses of nondestructive FWD tests was shown to be effectively performed; this was achieved by investigating the primary difference in pavement responses between the static and dynamic analyses as based on the nonlinearity of soil model as well as the multi-load FWD deflection. CONCLUSIONS : In conclusion, a comparison between dynamic and static FEM analyses was conducted, as based on the FEM analysis performed on various pavement structures, in order to investigate the significance of the differences in pavement responses between the static and dynamic analyses.

• 한국도로학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.143-148
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• 2001

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.25-31
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• 2015

PURPOSES: The objective of this study is to analyze the relationship between the FWD back-calculated modulus and dynamic modulus of asphalt layers for existing asphalt pavements. METHODS: To evaluate the dynamic modulus of the asphalt mixture in the existing and new asphalt layers, the uniaxial direct tension test was conducted on small asphalt specimens obtained from the existing asphalt-covered pavements. A dynamic modulus master curve was estimated by using the uniaxial direct tension test for each asphalt layer. The falling weight deflectometer (FWD) testing was conducted on the test sections, and the modulus values of pavement layers were back-calculated using the genetic algorithm and the finite element method based back-calculation program. The relationship between measured and back-calculated asphalt layer moduli was examined in this study. The normalized dynamic modulus was adopted to predict the stiffness characteristics of asphalt layers more accurately. RESULTS: From this study, we can conclude that there is no close relationship between dynamic modulus of first layer and back-calculated asphalt modulus. The dynamic moduli of second and third asphalt layers have some relation with asphalt stiffness. Test results also showed that the normalized dynamic modulus of the asphalt mixture is closely related to the FWD back-calculated modulus with 0.73 of R square value. CONCLUSIONS: The back-calculated modulus of asphalt layer can be used as an indicator of the stiffness characteristics of asphalt layers in the asphalt-covered pavements.