<title>Pavement instrumentation for load response</title>

Abstract

During early 1980's, Transportation Research Board (TRB) of National Research Coimcil, under sponsorship ofthe Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and with cooperation ofthe American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) undertook a thorough study of deterioration of nation's highway and bridge infrastructure system. The study recommended that a Highway Research Program (SHRP) be initiated to focus research and development activities that would make major contributions to improving highway transportation. The study report published as TRB Special Report 202 during 1984, emphasized six research areas, with Long Term Pavement Perfonnance (LTPP) program as one ofthe key research areas. During 1985 and 1986, detailed research programs were developed for SRRP by independent contractors. The detailed programs were published in May 1986 as a TRB Report entitled, Strategic Highway Research Program - ResearchPlans. The Long Term Pavement Performance was envisioned as a comprehensive program to satisfy the total range of pavement information needs. It draws on technical knowledge ofpavements presently available and seeks to develop models that will better explain how pavements perform. It also seeks to gain knowledge of specific effects on pavement performance of various design features, traffic and environment, use of various materials, construction quality, and maintenance practices. As sufficient data becomes available with time, analysis will be conducted by various agencies to provide better performance prediction models for use in design and pavement management, to provide much better understanding of effects of many variables on pavement performance, and to provide new techniques for pavement design and construction. This paper focuses on one phase of program -pavement instrumentation. Prior to limiting focus, a brief overview ofthe overall LTPP program is presented