Response of Subsoil to Cyclic Load Transferred by Pavement

This paper presents the behavior of subsoil under cyclic load transmitted by pavement layers. The response of subsoil to cyclic load is recorded in situ by the observation system (sensors) installed on the testing ground prepared for this purpose, being a part of the test road to the complex of warehouses in Bierun, near Katowice, in Poland. A different behavior of the homogeneous subsoil under pavement is observed for different seasons of the year, when pavement construction works as a flexible structure in summer, and as a rigid plate in winter. Albeit the observed character of subsoil response is the same regardless of the applied load and area values, This response can be divided into: ≤ zone of indirect action of the applied load; this zone extends to the depth of 1.0 m under the pavement, ≤ zone of a small strain, extending to about 2.0 m.