Pavement Structure Characteristics and Behaviour Analysis with Digital Image Correlation

Digital image correlation (DIC) is a method of point displacement measurement by an optical system. If two cameras are used for capturing the same point displacement, three-dimensional data are obtained using the 3D-DIC method. The areas of application of this method in pavement construction are diverse, but it is mainly used for displacement monitoring during standard tests of the failure of specimens due to load application. Furthermore, DIC technology was used only for testing particular material characteristics and assuming their influence on the overall pavement system. Within this research, DIC was applied in two areas: defining material mechanical characteristics and analyses of pavement structure behaviour under cyclic loading. The scope of this research was to gain more insights into DIC's potential application within pavement behaviour analyses, specifically on cement-bound granular material (CBGM) characterisation. Results from this study confirm the suitability of 3D-DIC technology for pavement material characterisation. Furthermore, it is shown that certain trends of material behaviour defined on the simple material level of each independent pavement layer will significantly differ when it is placed in the system, and this kind of complex analysis is possible by using 3D-DIC technology.