Design of Rigid Overlays for Airfield Pavements
Design of Rigid Overlays for Airfield Pavements
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Publication or External Link
Date
1987
Authors
Rollings, Raymond Sydney
Advisor
Witczak, Matthew W.
Citation
DRUM DOI
Abstract
Existing rigid overlay pavement design methods are empirical and
use a specified level of cracking as the defined failure condition. The
existing empirical designs are based on tests run thirty years ago, and
current analytical models provide greatly improved abilities to examine
the overlay pavement structure. Emphasis by many agencies on life cycle
cost analysis and more sophisticated maintenance and rehabilitation
strategies require methods of predicting pavement performance rather
than simply developing safe designs. A layered elastic analytical model
was selected to evaluate stresses from applied loads in the pavement
structure. Pavement performance was measured in terms of a Structural
Condition Index which related the type, degree, and severity of pavement
cracking and spalling on a scale of 0 to 100. Models were developed to
represent the effect of cracking in base slabs under the overlay, to
account for fatigue damage of previous traffic on the base pavement, and
to account for the effects of substandard load transfer at slab joints.
The predicted performance of overlays and pavements using this analysis
was checked against the results of full-scale accelerated traffic tests
conducted by the Corps of Engineers and against current overlay design
methods and was found to provide reasonable agreement. This methodology
using the layered elastic analytical model and analysis of fatigue and
cracking in the base slab provides a method of predicting pavement and
overlay deterioration in terms of a Structural Condition Index.