Abstract
Pavement distresses are induced by mechanistic responses in pavement structure subjected to dynamic loads of moving vehicles. Pavement surface evenness deteriorates as pavement distresses propagate, which results in dynamic axle loads and faster pavement deterioration. It is vital to consider the dynamic axle load spectra to predict pavement deterioration using traffic-monitoring data. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of dynamic loads and overweight traffic on asphalt pavement overlay performance using mechanistic–empirical (M–E) pavement analysis. The relationship between dynamic load coefficients (DLCs), axle loads, and international roughness index (IRI) was obtained for accurate quantification of dynamic axle loads. Then the dynamic axle load spectra were derived by shifting the static axle load spectra in weigh-in-motion (WIM) data, given the DLC value. AASHTOWare Pavement ME software was used to analyze pavement performance with static and dynamic axle load spectra, and the impact of overweight traffic on asphalt pavement overlay performance. The impact of dynamic loads on reflective fatigue cracking was distinguished at an early stage of the service period and eliminated after the 10-year analysis period, when the propagation of reflective cracking reached a specific level. On the other hand, the consideration of dynamic axle loads increased the impact of overweight truck traffic on pavement distresses, and pavement structures of major highways tend to be more sensitive to overweight traffic because of greater DLC excitement at higher operational speeds.
Highlights
Pavement distress is an accumulated result of mechanistic responses in pavement structure subjected to dynamic loads of moving vehicles and climatic conditions
This study aims to quantify the impact of dynamic traffic loading on the pavement distress of asphalt concrete (AC) overlay on asphalt pavement
The analysis results indicated that the dynamic axle load spectra enhanced the impact of overweight traffic on reflective fatigue cracking, and the pavement structures on major highways would be more sensitive to overweight traffic loading due to greater excitation of dynamic load coefficients (DLCs) at higher operational speeds
Summary
Pavement distress is an accumulated result of mechanistic responses in pavement structure subjected to dynamic loads of moving vehicles and climatic conditions. WIM data indicate static axle load spectra, which may not reflect the variation of dynamic loads on real pavements due to surface roughness. Limited studies have considered dynamic loads induced by vehicles on rough pavement in pavement design. The effect of dynamic loads on reflective fatigue cracking of AC overlay on asphalt pavement can be quantified by transforming static axle load spectra to dynamic axle load spectra in M–E design. The change in axle load spectra arising from dynamic loads on the overweight percentage needs to be considered, and the impact of overweight traffic on the propagation of reflective fatigue cracking in AC overlay can be quantified by considering dynamic loads induced on rough pavement surface
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