A elaboração de um programa de gerenciamento de uma rede rodoviária implica na utilização de montantes consideráveis de recursos em sua recuperação e manutenção. Neste cenário, ressalta-se a importância da validação de uma nova tecnologia de avaliação funcional de pavimentos para aplicação em rodovias brasileiras que permita a coleta de informações de forma automática, sem a interferência do profissional, minimizando o tempo de coleta e processamento de dados, reduzindo-se as interferências com o tráfego e garantindo informações de qualidade e de rápida restituição. O presente trabalho tem como objetivo a contribuição para o processo de avaliação funcional de pavimentos através validação de resultados do inventário funcional de pavimentos flexíveis com o emprego do equipamento Pavement Scanner, o que pode ser um novo processo que garanta a integridade, a confiabilidade e a plena restituição das informações para o projeto e programa de gestão de pavimentos. Para tanto, seções-teste foram inventariadas e estudadas, onde avaliou-se as condições funcionais do pavimento de acordo com a metodologia tradicional de avaliação da superfície do pavimento e sob a utilização do equipamento Pavement Scanner. Os resultados obtidos pelos diferentes métodos foram analisados e comparados, buscando-se determinar a variação obtida pelas diferentes técnicas de avaliação do pavimento, além da análise da repetitividade e reprodutividade de cada uma destas técnicas. Adicionalmente, foi estudada a aplicabilidade dos resultados obtidos pelo Pavement Scanner no cálculo do PCI (Índice da Condição do Pavimento, do inglês Pavement Condition Index), que é muito utilizado no exterior e considerado uma ferramenta eficaz na gerência de pavimentos. / The development of a road network management program implies the use of significant amounts of resources in their recovery and maintenance. In this scenario, it emphasizes the importance of validating a new technology of functional Pavement assessment for use in Brazilian highways that allows the automatic collection of information, without the interference of a professional, minimizing the time in collecting and processing of data, reducing interference with traffic and ensuring information quality and fast refund. This study aims to contribute to the process of functional pavement evaluation through the validation of results of the functional inventory of flexible pavements with the use of Pavement Scanner equipment, which can be a new process to ensure the integrity, reliability and full refund of information for the pavement management program. With this purpose, sections-tests were surveyed and studied, in which the functional pavement conditions were evaluated according to the traditional method of pavement surface evaluation and with the use of Pavement Scanner equipment. The results obtained by different methods were analyzed and compared, in order to determine the variation obtained by the different pavement evaluation techniques, in addition to the analysis of repeatability and reproducibility of each of these techniques. Furthermore, it was studied the applicability of the results obtained by Pavement Scanner in the calculation of PCI (Pavement Condition Index), which is widely used abroad and considered an effective tool in pavement management.

The study of innovative pavements is of significant importance in geotechnical engineering in Brazil, due to the continued need to increase the network of roadways. This requires optimized projects, not only for economic, but also for technical reasons. Technical solutions that use geosynthetics in asphalt overlays have been identified to minimize fatigue and reflective cracks. However, the majority of the application of this technology has ignored the possible additional structural benefits brought by the inclusion of geosynthetics as reinforcement in asphalt layers. The objective of this research is to assess the reinforcement benefits of geogrids placed within asphalt overlays on the structural performance of flexible pavements. In addition, this study investigates the tensile-strain response of geogrids under traffic conditions, induced by cyclic wheel loads generated by a new accelerated pavement testing facility (APT) that was specifically developed for this research. The APT facility consists of a large steel testing box, in which field-scale pavement layers could be constructed. Pavement materials included subgrade soil, aggregate base, hot mix asphalt concrete, asphalt emulsion and a PVA geogrid. Pavement performance was assessed by applying a cyclic wheel load pressure of 700 kPa to the pavement surface. The pavement sections investigated in this study included a geogrid-reinforced and an unreinforced asphalt overlay sections, a single new geogrid-reinforced asphalt layer, and a geogrid-reinforced asphalt overlay with reduced base course thickness. A variety of sensors were used to measure asphalt concrete strains, surface plastic and elastic displacements, and induced traffic loads. Displacements along the geogrid specimens were measured using a tell-tail system. As result, several reinforcement mechanisms of this technique could be quantified in the present study. Polymeric geogrid reinforcements were found to have considerably reduced strains developed at the bottom of asphalt layers, as well as to have reduced vertical stresses in pavement lower layers. Resistance to rutting and lateral movement induced by the geogrids were also clearly evidenced in the presented study. The measurement of displacements along the geogrid provided understanding of the distribution of strains during traffic loading. A mobilized length was identified in geogrid-reinforced sections, showing that the bonding between geogrids and asphalt layers and the stiffness of the geogrid ensured satisfactory performance of the pavement sections. The results also illustrated that the lateral restraining mechanisms effect is a governing mechanism to improve the performance of the asphalt layers by the development of shearing resistance with the geogrids. Overall, it was concluded that geogrids within asphalt overlays act as reinforcement and not merely to delay cracks, providing enhanced performance to flexible pavement structures. / O estudo de pavimentos é de grande importância na Engenharia Geotécnica brasileira devido à crescente necessidade de melhora da situação da rede rodoviária nacional. Para tanto, o desenvolvimento e a aplicação de novas técnicas são necessários, principalmente no âmbito econômico. A técnica do uso de reforços geossintéticos em capa asfáltica é identificada como uma alternativa ao aumento da vida útil do pavimento através da mitigação de trincas por fadiga e de reflexão. No entanto, a maioria das aplicações desta técnica não correlaciona os benefícios estruturais da inclusão do geossintético na capa asfáltica para a melhora do desempenho global do pavimento. O objetivo desta pesquisa é investigar os benefícios estruturais no desempenho de pavimentos flexíveis trazidos pelo reforço de geogrelhas em camadas asfálticas. Ainda neste estudo, será investigada a reposta tensão-deformação destas geogrelhas sobre as condições de tráfego através do uso de ensaios acelerados de pavimento. Um equipamento foi desenvolvido para esta pesquisa e consiste numa caixa metálica de grande porte, em que seções de pavimento em escala real podem ser construídas. O desempenho das seções de pavimento foi avaliado com a aplicação de cargas cíclicas de roda com pressão de contato de 700 kPa. Os materiais que compõem as seções de pavimento incluem solo de subleito, brita graduada simples, concreto betuminoso usinado à quente, emulsão asfáltica e geogrelha de PVA. Foram estudadas uma seção com geogrelha como reforço no recapeamento da camada asfáltica, uma seção idêntica não reforçada, uma seção com uma única capa asfáltica reforçada com geogrelha e uma seção com geogrelha no recapeamento da camada asfáltica, porém com espessura de base reduzida em relação aos demais ensaios. Sensores nas camadas do pavimento mediram tensões e deformações, e deslocamentos plásticos e elásticos na superfície. Deslocamentos ao longo da geogrelha foram monitorados utilizando o sistema tell-tales. Como resultado, mecanismos de reforço foram identificados neste estudo. O uso de uma geogrelha polimérica reduziu consideravelmente as deformações na fibra inferior da capa asfáltica, assim como as tensões verticais nas camadas subjacentes do pavimento. Resistência à formação de trilhas de roda e solevamentos laterais foram também evidenciadas. As medidas de deslocamentos ao longo da geogrelha forneceram entendimento da distribuição de deformações durante o carregamento. Foi identificado o comprimento de geogrelha mobilizado durante os ensaios, mostrando que a aderência entre a geogrelha e as camadas asfálticas e a rigidez da geogrelha asseguraram o desempenho satisfatório das seções de pavimento. Os resultados também mostraram que o efeito do mecanismo de restrição lateral é um mecanismo que governa a melhora no desempenho da capa asfáltica com o uso da geogrelha através do desenvolvimento de resitência ao cisalhamento. Estas observações permitem concluir que a geogrelha na camada asfáltica atua como reforço e não apenas reduzindo a o potencial de trincamento, levando à um aumento no desempenho de estruturas de pavimentos flexíveis.

Dentre a vasta gama de alternativas estruturais possíveis para a construção de pavimentos, os revestimentos com blocos pré-moldados de concreto têm sua aplicação consolidada em pavimentação de áreas portuárias. Além disso, em muitos países, este tipo de pavimento tem sido utilizado com sucesso em aplicações rodoviárias, aeroportuárias, em pátios industriais e em demais aplicações para tráfegos veiculares e de pedestres. No Brasil, no entanto, devido a insucessos em sua utilização, motivados, muitas vezes, pela inobservância de parâmetros técnicos relevantes a essa tecnologia, contribuíram para que este tipo de pavimento tenha sido subutilizado. Todavia, as recentes revisões nas normas nacionais que tratam deste tema, a criação de novas normatizações e a recente construção de importantes rodovias utilizando este tipo de revestimento, contribuem para o aperfeiçoamento de profissionais e a diminuição do prejulgamento desta tecnologia. Neste sentido, é de suma importância estudar o comportamento estrutural e funcional deste tipo de pavimento. De modo que, neste trabalho, foram estudadas quatro seções de dois trechos experimentais construídos entre julho e setembro de 2010. Foram realizadas avaliações destrutivas e não destrutivas para análise dos materiais, suas espessuras e confronto com os parâmetros construtivos oriundos do projeto e da literatura, bem como a verificação das condições para realização de retroanálise dos módulos de resiliência das camadas do pavimento. Os levantamentos deflectométricos apresentaram patamares muito elevados de deflexões reversíveis em todas as seções estudadas. Das aberturas de cavas e confronto com a estrutura de projeto, verificou-se incompatibilidades entre os materiais e espessuras das camadas do pavimento projetado x pavimento construído, destacando-se a condição verificada na camada de base por apresentar significativa desagregação do material, cujo projeto indicava utilização de concreto compactado com rolo (CCR), o que evidencia problemas no controle tecnológico dos materiais e falhas no gerenciamento da obra. Por meio das retroanálises foram verificadas diminuições significativas dos módulos de resiliência das camadas do pavimento, quando comparado com os parâmetros de projeto. Os índices de condições do pavimento (ICP) apontaram condições distintas nas seções avaliadas mesmo sujeitas ao mesmo tráfego de veículos. / Among the wide range of possible structural alternatives for the construction of pavements, interlocking concrete pavements are the orthodox solution for paving ports. Furthermore, in many countries, this type of pavement has been successfully used in highways, airport applications, in industrial areas and other applications for vehicular traffic and pedestrians. In Brazil, however, due to failures in its use, driven often by the lack of relevant technical parameters to this technology, contributed to the fact that this type of pavement has been misused. Although, recent reviews from the national standards that deal with this type of pavement, the creation of new standards and the recent construction of important highways using this type of structure, have contributed to the improvement of professionals and decreased the prejudice of this technology. In this sense, it is extremely important to study the structural and functional behavior of this type of pavement. Therefore, in this research it was studied two experimental sections built between July and September 2010 that carried out destructive and nondestructive evaluations for the analysis of materials, their thicknesses and constructive confrontation with the parameters derived from the project and the literature, as well verifying the conditions to accomplish the back calculation of the elastic modulus of the pavement layers. The displacement tests surveys demonstrated very high levels of reversible displacements in all studied sections. From the inspection pits openings and confrontation with the project structure, there is incompatibility between the materials and thicknesses of the layers of the designed pavement versus constructed pavement, the condition verified highlighting the base layer for introducing significant breakdown of the material, which design indicated use of roller-compacted concrete (RCC), which indicates problems in the quality control of materials and failures in the management. The back calculation showed that decreases were observed elastic modulus of the pavement layers when compared with the design parameters. Surveys concerning pavement condition index (PCI) showed different conditions for the evaluated sections even supporting the same traffic.

<p>Highway infrastructure, including roads/pavements, contributes significantly to a country’s economic growth, quality of life improvement, and negative environmental impacts. Hence, highway agencies strive to make efficient and effective use of their limited funding to maintain their pavement infrastructure in good structural and functional conditions. This necessitates predicting pavement performance and scheduling maintenance interventions accurately and reliably by using appropriate performance modeling and maintenance optimization methodologies, while considering the impact of influential variables and the uncertainty inherent in pavement condition data.</p> <p> </p> <p>Despite the enormous research efforts toward stochastic pavement performance modeling and maintenance optimization, several research gaps still exist. Prior research has not provided a synthesis of Markovian models and their associated methodologies that could assist researchers and highway agencies in selecting the Markov methodology that is appropriate for use with the data available to the agency. In addition, past Markovian pavement performance models did not adequately account for the marginal effects of the preventive maintenance (PM) treatments due to the lack of historical PM data, resulting in potentially unreliable models. The primary components of a Markov model are the transition probability matrix, number of condition states (NCS), and length of duty cycle (LDC). Previous Markovian pavement performance models were developed using NCS and LDC based on data availability, pavement condition indicator and data collection frequency. However, the selection of NCS and LDC should also be based on producing pavement performance models with high levels of prediction accuracy. Prior stochastic pavement maintenance optimization models account for the uncertainty of the budget allocated to pavement preservation at the network level. Nevertheless, variables such as pavement condition deterioration and improvement that are also associated with uncertainty, were not included in stochastic optimization models due to the expected large size of the optimization problem.</p><p>The overarching goal of this dissertation is to contribute to filling these research gaps with a view to improving pavement management systems, helping to predict probabilistic pavement performance and schedule pavement preventive maintenance accurately and reliably. This study reviews Markovian pavement performance models using various Markov methodologies and transition probabilities estimation methods, presents a critical analysis of the different aspects of Markovian models as applied in the literature, reveals gaps in knowledge, and offers suggestions for bridging those gaps. This dissertation develops a decision tree which could be used by researchers and highway agencies to select appropriate Markov methodologies to model pavement performance under different conditions of data availability. The lack of consideration of pavement PM impacts into probabilistic pavement performance models due to absence of historical PM data may result in erroneous and often biased pavement condition predictions, leading to non-optimal pavement maintenance decisions. Hence, this research introduces and validates a hybrid approach to incorporate the impact of PM into probabilistic pavement performance models when historical PM data are limited or absent. The types of PM treatments and their times of application are estimated using two approaches: (1) Analysis of the state of practice of pavement maintenance through literature and expert surveys, and (2) Detection of PM times from probabilistic pavement performance curves. Using a newly developed optimization algorithm, the estimated times and types of PM treatments are integrated into pavement condition data. A non-homogeneous Markovian pavement performance model is developed by estimating the transition probabilities of pavement condition using the ordered-probit method. The developed hybrid approach and performance models are validated using cross-validation with out-of-sample data and through surveys of subject matter experts in pavement engineering and management. The results show that the hybrid approach and models developed can predict probabilistic pavement condition incorporating PM effects with an accuracy of 87%.</p><p>The key Markov chain methodologies, namely, homogeneous, staged-homogeneous, non-homogeneous, semi- and hidden Markov, have been used to develop stochastic pavement performance models. This dissertation hypothesizes that the NCS and LDC significantly influence the prediction accuracy of Markov models and that the nature of such influence varies across the different Markov methodologies. As such, this study develops and compares the Markovian pavement performance models using empirical data and investigates the sensitivity of Markovian model prediction accuracy to the NCS and LDC. The results indicate that the semi-Markov is generally statistically superior to the homogeneous and staged-homogeneous Markov (except in a few cases of NCS and LDC combinations) and that Markovian model prediction accuracy is significantly sensitive to the NCS and LDC: an increase in NCS improves the prediction accuracy until a certain NCS threshold after which the accuracy decreases, plausibly due to data overfitting. In addition, an increase in LDC improves the prediction accuracy when the NCS is small.</p><p>Scheduling pavement maintenance at road network level without considering the uncertainty of pavement condition deterioration and improvement over the long-term (typically, pavement design life) likely results in mistiming maintenance applications and less optimal decisions. Hence, this dissertation develops stochastic pavement maintenance optimization models that account for the uncertainty of pavement condition deterioration and improvement as well as the budget constraint. The objectives of the stochastic optimization models are to minimize the overall deterioration of road network condition while minimizing the total maintenance cost of the road network over a 20-year planning horizon (typical pavement design life). Multi-objective Genetic Algorithm (MOGA) is used because of its robust search capabilities, which lead to global optimal solutions. In order to reduce the number of combinations of solutions of stochastic MOGA models, three approaches are proposed and applied: (1) using PM treatments that are most commonly used by highway agencies, (2) clustering pavement sections based on their ages, and (3) creating a filtering constraint that applies a rest period after treatment applications. The results of the stochastic MOGA models show that the Pareto optimal solutions change significantly when the uncertainty of pavement condition deterioration and improvement is included.</p>

This thesis implements the empirical pavement design procedures for flexible as well as rigid pavement by American Association of State Highways and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) into two MATLAB modules of MULTI-PAVE. MULTI-PAVE was developed as a teaching tool that performs pavement thickness design for multiple design procedures using a common input file and a common output format. The AASHTO components were developed in accordance with the 1993 AASHTO Pavement Design Guide, and verified against the original design method. The thicknesses of the Asphalt Concrete, Base Course and Sub-base Course are the design outputs for flexible pavement. For rigid pavement, the thickness of slab is determined for various types of concrete pavements. The modules will be included in a MULTI-PAVE framework to compare the design outputs with other design methods.

The Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) which is widely used for the rational design of pavements has three different design levels (i.e., Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3) that are typically based on the resources and the level of risk associated for a given project. Specifically, Level 2 design requires the estimation of the resilient modulus, MR (which is the key parameter in the mechanistic design procedures) from simple experiments such as the California Bearing Ratio (CBR), Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) and R-value tests. In this study, a technique is proposed for estimation of MR from CBR that can be used in Level 2 designs of pavements. The California Bearing Ratio (CBR) is a relatively inexpensive laboratory test which provides a measure of the strength of a soil. The CBR test can easily be performed as the experimental procedure is relatively straightforward to execute. The CBR test procedure widely used and is simple, however the fundamental engineering principles governing CBR tests do not realistically describe the mechanical behavior of pavements. Due to this reason, there has been a significant interest to design pavements using a mechanistic approach such as the resilient modulus (MR). The MR test method provides an indication of the stiffness of pavement materials under cyclic loads, which closely represents the typical loading conditions that are experienced by pavements. MR is a reliable method as it considers the cyclic loading (i.e., resilient response) of pavements. However, it has one major drawback as the triaxial testing equipment used for measurement of the MR is relatively costly, testing is complex and requires trained professional to perform them. The CBR and MR are both used in present day practice to evaluate the strength of pavement materials. However, the CBR is widely used because of its relatively low cost and the vast experience with its use in the design of pavements. The common trend in today’s practice is to estimate the MR from CBR as evident in most pavement design procedures used around the world. For instance, the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (AASHTO 2008) suggests that the MR may be estimated from standard tests like the CBR for design of Level 2 pavements. Numerous studies in the literature propose relationships between CBR and MR, but only a hand full of these studies takes account of the effect of matric suction, 𝜓 which is a key stress state variable that describes the rational behavior of unsaturated soils. This thesis document includes the explanation of a modified CBR test equipment capable of measuring unsaturated properties (𝜓 and water content) of specimens subjected to wetting and drying. In addition, some correlations were developed using the measured CBR data and the data of MR from other studies. The results provide useful information for Level 2 mechanistic-empirical design of pavement structures for various soils in the province of Ontario.

No description available.

The purpose of this research was to determine the effect of full-depth reclamation (FDR) on the strength and durability of aggregate base layers in a coordinated approach involving both field and laboratory testing. Field comparisons between the pre-reclamation neat base and post-reclamation blended base were supplemented with laboratory experiments conducted to determine the effects of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) content, compaction effort, and heating on the strength and durability of roadways reconstructed using FDR with a portable asphalt recycling machine (PARM). Also, the effect of reclamation on the spatial uniformity of the pavement structures was explored by comparing variability in the pre- and post-reclamation material properties. Test sites in Orem, Utah; San Marcos, Texas; and South Jordan, Utah, were selected for this research. The results of field testing indicate that the FDR process significantly increased the stiffness and/or strength of the base material at two of the test locations and did not significantly change the third base material. An evaluation of spatial variability indicated that the FDR process produced equivalent or lower spatial variability with respect to both base modulus and California bearing ratio (CBR) values at one site, while the other two sites exhibited equivalent or higher spatial variability after FDR. The results of laboratory testing for all three locations indicate that specimens compacted using the modified Proctor method exhibit significantly higher CBR values and dry densities than specimens compacted using the standard Proctor method. Also, the CBR values for specimens tested in the dry condition were significantly higher than those obtained from specimens tested at optimum moisture content. These results demonstrate the value of achieving a high level of compaction during construction and preventing water ingress into the pavement over time. The blended material exhibited a significantly lower CBR value than that of the neat material at only one location; the addition of RAP to materials at the other locations did not significantly change the CBR values of those materials. In the tube suction test (TST), most of the specimens were classified as marginally or highly moisture-susceptible, and the effect of RAP on the dielectric value in the TST was of no practical importance. The use of PARMs in the FDR process is an acceptable, economical, and environmentally friendly approach to reconstruction of flexible pavements. To ensure satisfactory performance of FDR projects, engineers and managers should carefully follow recommended guidelines for project selection, pavement testing, material characterization, design, construction, and quality assurance testing.

No description available.

No description available.