Homogeneity Assessment of Asphalt Concrete Base in Terms of a Three-Dimensional Air-Launched Ground Penetrating Radar

Xiaomeng Zhang,Guiling Hu,Wenyang Han,Luchuan Chen,Zhengchao Zhang,Zhichao Xue,Jincheng Wei,Xiangpeng Yan

doi:10.3390/coatings11111398

Xiaomeng Zhang, Guiling Hu + Show 6 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings11111398

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Abstract

Obtaining the required homogeneity, including uniform thickness and density, is very crucial for controlling the quality of flexible asphalt layers. Although non-destructive testing (NDT) methods are time-saving and less labor-intensive, they only provide indirect measurement data under testing area conditions and strongly depend on the explanations by prediction models. In this study, in terms of the three-dimensional air-launched Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) technique, the dielectric constant of asphalt concrete base with dry conditions in pavements was detected and calculated by different methods (the Coring Method, Reflection Amplitudes Method and Common Mid-Point Method). According to the calculated dielectric constant, the thickness and density of asphalt concrete base were further calculated and assessed. Comparing with the Coring Method, the Common Mid-Point Method was recommended to calculate dielectric constants in order to obtain reliable thickness of asphalt pavement base. Among the Birefringence, Boettcher, Linearity indicator, and Rayleigh models, the Rayleigh model was suggested to predict the density, and the predicted density exhibited a good correlation coefficient with the measured one. Furthermore, by choosing these proper calculation methods, an assessment was successfully conducted to evaluate homogeneity of a constructed field pavement in practice.

Highlights

Asphalt pavement layers are widely used in modern road networks
Global positioning system (GPS) antenna was installed on the roof of the vehicle, and a mechanical distance measuring instrument (DMI) unit was installed on the vehicle left rear wheel
Comparison of the Dielectric Constants Estimated by Different Methods

Summary

Introduction

Asphalt pavement layers are widely used in modern road networks. In order to achieve good quality control and quality assurance, destructive and non-destructive testing (NDT) methods have been implemented and used for assessing homogeneity of asphalt pavement layers after construction [1]. The traditional method is to obtain core samples from the road and carry out controlled tests in a laboratory, which is widely accepted by transport departments [2]. This traditional method is time-consuming, laborintensive, and destructive to the asphalt pavement. The NDT methods have been promoted in the last decades and could effectively avoid destruction of asphalt pavement, which is timesaving and less labor-intensive Cores can be drilled only at a very small percentage of asphalt pavements, which only provides limited information to present whole testing area conditions [3,4,5].

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