Full-Scale Accelerated Pavement Testing of Texas Mobile Load Simulator

Abstract

This paper presents the test results from full-scale accelerated pavement testing with the Texas Mobile Load Simulator. Data from in-situ instrumentation and nondestructive testing were collected and analyzed at different loading stages to assess material property changes under accelerated loading. Forensic studies were performed at the end of trafficking to assist in explaining the performance of the pavement. Two trenches were made to study material characteristics in the longitudinal and transverse directions. It was found that at the early stage of trafficking the test pad responded to falling weight deflectometer (FWD) load linearly, not only over the whole pavement system but also within individual layers. Before mobile load simulator testing, FWD data indicated the weakest area exists at the left wheel path (LWP) of 7.5-m line (7.5L). Later, this weak area was confirmed to have the highest rutting and the most intensive cracking. The dynamic cone penetration results showed that the base at this location was at its weakest. Also, at 7.5L, the dry density was lowest, approximately 7% lower with a moisture content approximately 8% higher than the adjacent area. The LWP had higher FWD deflections than the right wheel path (RWP), and consequently the LWP manifested more rutting. This proved to be primarily due to differences in moisture content. This was probably because more water infiltrated in this area during rain due to manifestation of more extensive cracking during early phases of trafficking. The maximum surface deflection values increased as trafficking increased in the left and right wheel paths due to pavement deterioration, while deflection for the center remained constant because of the lack of traffic loading. The LWP had more rutting than the RWP and this correlated with the measured FWD deflections prior to trafficking. The W1 values increased as trafficking increased for the LWP and RWP due to pavement deterioration. The majority (greater than 60%) of rutting was from the 300-mm uncrushed river gravel base.