Estimation of Pavement‐Layer Moduli using Nonlinear Optimization Technique
Publication: Journal of Transportation Engineering
Volume 120, Issue 3
Abstract
Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) testing is used for nondestructive structural evaluation of existing pavements. The deflection data from FWD can be used for estimation of layer moduli by an iterative technique. In the calculation process, commonly known as backcalculation, comparison is done between calculated deflections from a suitable theory and those measured by the FWD. The estimated moduli values correspond to the best fit of the measured deflection basin. In the present study, a nonlinear optimization technique has been used to estimate the layer moduli in the backcalculation process. The backcalculation scheme developed is applicable to 3‐layer to 6‐layer pavements. The method was verified by simulated deflection data from elastic‐layer theory and FWD‐deflection measurements on 13 in‐service pavements in Arizona. They were found to approximate closely the manual approach of matching deflection basins. The algorithm has been coded in a computer program called the Arizona Deflection Analysis Method (ADAM).
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Transportation Engineering
Volume 120 • Issue 3 • May 1994
Pages: 376 - 393
Copyright
Copyright © 1994 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Dec 19, 1990
Published online: May 1, 1994
Published in print: May 1994
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