Mechanistic-Empirical Evaluation of Mn/ROAD Mainline Flexible Pavement Sections

"The purpose of this study was to use Mn/ROAD mainline flexible pavement data to verify, refine, and modify the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) Mechanistic-Empirical (M-E) based flexible pavement design procedures and concepts. Illinois has used M-E design procedures for the design of full-depth asphalt concrete (FDAC) and conventional flexible pavements (CFP) sections since the late 1980's. The Mn/ROAD project has 40 test cells that are 500-feet long. The cells represent a wide range of pavements types, with varying combinations of surface, base, subbase, drainage and compaction. Paving materials characterization was addressed through laboratory and field testing programs. Laboratory testing was performed at the University of Illinois, MnDOT and the University of Minnesota. Field characterization of the paving materials was performed through FWD and DCP testing. The effect of granular material quality on pavement response and performance was assessed through analysis of FWD data. The ""Design Time"" concept for considering temperature effects on AC modulus fatigue calculations was evaluated. The ILLI-PAVE structural model was validated by comparing measured (sensors) and calculated pavement responses (i.e., strains, deflections, and stresses). The study demonstrated that the mechanistic-empirical analysis and design procedures for FDAC and CFP sections are adequate. The ILLI-PAVE structural model adequately predicts the pavement responses. The bi-linear (arithmetic) subgrade model and the ""theta"" granular model closely replicate the field responses. The ILLI-PAVE algorithms are adequate to be utilized in FWD backcalculations. The properties of the layers and pavement responses can be accurately estimated (AC strain, \rm E\sb{AC}, E\sb{Ri}).."

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Civil Engineering

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Alvarez, Claribel

Contributors dc:contributor

• Thompson, Marshall R.

• Engineering, Civil

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

(MiAaPQ)AAI9904377

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/83451