Chapter 9

Evaluation of Pavement Structural

Capacity

BASIC CONSIDERATIONS 9.1

There are several reasons for evaluating pavement structural
capacity or adequacy and many ways of doing it. Dctermining
structural capacity requires first monitoring or measuring some
characteristic of the pavement. It then involves analysis of the
re- sulting data, cither on a theoretical or empirical basis, to
estimate the load-carrying capabilities and the service life of
the pavement under the expected traffic conditions. In dealing
with structural capacity evaluation, the total network of an
agency and particular projects or sections within the network
need to be considered. For example, allocations of funds will be
determined on a network basis, and these decisions de-
termine the availability of funds for any particular project.
Therefore, procedures for evaluating the total system at a level
adequate to identify structurally deficient sections should exist.
Ultimately, of course, detailed structural evaluation should be
carried out on each project as part of the rehabilitation design.
This chapter outlines some of the more common methods for
nondestructive and destructive structural evaluation. Use of
the information for design and maintenance purposes is
discussed in Parts Three and Four

Monitoring the Pavement Network 9.1.1

Structural monitoring on a regular or periodic basis can be
accomplished within the scope of a network monitoring plan,
applicable basically to all classes of evaluation data as shown in
Figure 9.1 [Hudson 74]. Deflection or curvature measurements
of the pavement surface under specified loads represent the
.]usual means for such mon- itoring (McComb 74
DEFLECTION DEVICES 9.3
Currently, all practical nondestructive evaluations of
pavement structural capacity are performed with deflection
measuring devices. They can be placed in four broad cate-
:gories
Static devices which measure the pavement's response to a .1
static load or a single application of a slow moving load
Vibratory devices which measure the pavement's response .2
to a vibratory or cyclical load
Impulse devices which load the pavement by dropping a .3
known mass through a known distance and measuring the
response of the pavement
Multimode devices .4
There have been several comparative studies of the relative
capabilities of the various deflection devices. A comprehensive
study for the Federal Highway Admin- istration provides much
of the basis for the following sections. Table 9.1 summarizes
.the features of each of the devices

Static Devices 9.3.1

:This category includes the following >
Plate Bearing Tests •
Curvature Meter •
Benkelman Beam •
Automated Deflection Beams •
Curviameter •