Backcalculation of Flexible Pavement Structural Properties Using a Restart Covariance Matrix Adaptation Evolution Strategy

Abstract

AbstractMonitoring structural integrity of pavements is a central task of pavement management systems toward needs analysis and the subsequent design, prioritization, and optimization of pavement maintenance and rehabilitation projects. Nondestructive testing (NDT) methods, including falling weight deflectometer (FWD), are the most widely used monitoring approach. The FWD device creates an impulse load on the pavement surface, and the resulting pavement surface deflections are captured using geophones at a number of distances from the load. Various backcalculation methods have been proposed to calculate pavement structural properties from FWD surface deflection measurements. However, no unique technique has proved to yield a globally optimum solution to this complex, nondifferentiable problem. This study explores development of an effective and reliable backcalculation strategy with attention to variable layer thicknesses. A synthetic database of typical three-layer flexible pavement structures is created...