Development of Analytical/Empirical Performance Parameters for the Structural Evaluation of Asphalt Pavements

Abstract

A procedure has been developed to estimate the residual structural life of full depth asphalt pavements based on falling weight deflection measurements. The procedure results from a study of structural pavement life predictions by experts and is based on evaluations of surveys, measurements, testing of materials, and personal experiences, on one hand, and analyses of deflection measurements, on the other hand. Discriminant analyses have been used to determine, among the deflection parameters, the best indicators of the residual structural life. With the procedure developed, pavement segments can be classified according to their residual lives. Indications of misclassification and significance are presented. Testing of the procedure revealed that the deflection data can classify segments with residual lives longer than four years very well. For all other segments, prediction of residual lives should not be based on deflection measurements alone.