STRUCTURAL EVALUATION OF LOW VOLUME ROAD PAVEMENTS USING PAVEMENT DYNAMIC CONE PENETROMETER

Abstract

Static and dynamic cone penetration tests are widel y used in Foundation engineering for measuring the penetration resistance of the ground and for relating it to the degree of compact ion and safe bearing capacity of soils. In Highway Engineering, Pavement Dynamic Cone Penetrometer (DCP) is used for rapid i n-situ strength evaluation of subgrade and other un bound pavement layers. In the present studies, an attempt has been made to id entify the strength and thickness of different pave ment layers of newly constructed low volume roads in the State of Karnataka, India u sing dynamic cone penetration studies and was compa red with actual measurements at the site. The evaluation of pavemen t test stretches was made for a period of two years , and changes in penetration resistance of different pavement layers were measur ed. A Software was used to analyze the DCP data an d to correlate with field observation. The results have favoured the possibil ity of using dynamic cone penetrometer as a quality control and pavement monitoring tool for low volume roads, eliminating t he need for a Benkelman beam or a falling weight de flectometer.