Examining Relationship of Pavement Subgrade Based on Load-Deflection Consideration
Publication: Journal of Transportation Engineering
Volume 135, Issue 3
Abstract
Most rigid-pavement design methods in use today adopt the Westergaard’s approach that characterizes pavement foundation by , the modulus of subgrade reaction. is measured by a standard plate loading test conducted in the field. However, since this test is elaborate, expensive, and time consuming, the value of a subgrade soil is usually estimated from other soil properties. In this regard, the relationship between and the modulus of elasticity of the soil is of special interest. This is because is a fundamental engineering property and that there exists various test methods for determining either in the field or in the laboratory. This paper proposes a procedure to estimate from by establishing an equivalency between two theoretical pavement models, a model of pavement slab supported by an elastic solid foundation (termed the model) and a model of pavement slab supported by a dense liquid foundation (termed the model). Instead of matching the and models directly as is done in currently available relationship models, this study proposes to define an equivalent model and an equivalent model, separately, with respect to actual rigid pavements. The equivalency is established using back-calculation analysis based on load-deflection considerations. Using the deflection test data of the long-term pavement performance database, it is found that there exists a relationship between the radii of relative stiffness of the two theoretical systems, and this relationship can be used to estimate from a given value.
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© 2009 ASCE.
History
Received: Jan 16, 2008
Accepted: Jul 31, 2008
Published online: Mar 1, 2009
Published in print: Mar 2009
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