RDD Data Interpretation and Its Application on Evaluating Concrete Pavements for Asphalt Overlays
Publication: Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities
Volume 26, Issue 5
Abstract
The placement of an asphalt overlay is the most common method to rehabilitate existing concrete pavements. Reflective cracking, however, has been a serious problem with asphalt overlays for a long time. To prevent reflective cracking, it is critical to evaluate existing concrete pavements and identify the joints/cracks with poor load-transfer efficiency (LTE) before placing an asphalt overlay. The most common equipment for this evaluation is a falling weight deflectometer (FWD). However, FWD testing is conducted only at discrete points and is time consuming. It is desirable to use the rolling dynamic deflectometer (RDD) that can continuously characterize each slab and all joints and cracks (e.g., LTE). The RDD was developed in the 1990s at the Center for Transportation Research in Austin, Texas. The RDD is one of the few operational rolling deflection systems that provide continuous data to make project level decisions on rehabilitating concrete pavements. In contrast to the FWD, no RDD data analysis software is available. This paper discusses RDD data interpretation and its application on evaluating existing concrete pavement for asphalt overlays. First of all, some basics of RDD deflection data interpretation are discussed. Several common patterns within the RDD data are identified, and associated interpretation and limited verification are presented in this paper. The RDD deflection data measured before an asphalt overlay on Interstate Highway-20, Texas, and the observed asphalt overlay performance (in terms of reflective cracking) are then presented, and the relationship between RDD deflection and reflective cracking rate is further investigated. Finally, guidelines for evaluating existing concrete pavements using RDD are proposed.
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References
Bay, J., and Stokoe, K. (1998). “Development of a rolling dynamic deflectometer for continuous deflection measurements of pavements.” Rep. 1422-3F, Center of Transportation Research, Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX.
Chen, D. (2008). “Field experiences with RDD and overlay tester for concrete pavement rehabilitation.” J. Transp. Eng., 134(1), 24–33.
Scullion, T. (2006). “Using rolling deflectometer and ground penetrating radar technologies for full coverage testing of jointed concrete pavements.” FHWA/TX-05/0-4517-2, Texas Transportation Institute, College Station, TX.
Yildirim, Y., Culfik, M. S., Lee, J., and Stokoe, K. (2006). “Pavement performance evaluation by using field data.” FHWA/TX-04/0-4185-4, Center for Transportation Research, Austin, TX.
Yildirim, Y., and Kennedy, T. W. (2002). “Hamburg wheel tracking device results on plant and field cores produced mixtures.” FHWA/TX-04/0-4185-2, Center for Transportation Research, Austin, TX.
Zhou, F., and Scullion, T. (2007). “Guidelines for evaluation of existing pavements for HMA overlay.” FHWA/TX-07/0-5123-2, Texas Transportation Institute, College Station, TX.
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© 2012 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Oct 27, 2010
Accepted: Aug 1, 2011
Published online: Aug 3, 2011
Published in print: Oct 1, 2012
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