Pavement nondestructive evaluation using finite-element dynamic simulation

This paper describes the nondestructive evaluation devices, visual distress survey and coring used to investigate jointed concrete pavement performance in northern Mississippi. Three-dimensional finite-element models were developed to simulate in-service conditions and to characterize in situ material properties. Reasonably goad agreement is found between in situ moduli backcalculated from the dynamic analysis of falling weight deflectometer (FWD) deflections measured on selected pavements and laboratory moduli. Effects of load pulse shape, cracking, and discontinuities on the surface deflection response of pavements subjected to FWD load were also investigated. It is shown that three-dimensional analysis of temperature distribution and resulting thermal stresses play a significant role in the performance of concrete pavements. The study results demonstrated the extensive usefulness of the finite-element dynamic analysis and limitations of the static multilayered analysis and other pavement analysis programs which do not allow for crack modeling and-dynamic analysis.