Non-destructive testing for optimizing the rehabilitation of rigid pavements

FWD testing was completed on three urban arterial sections and six residential streets prior to and after rehabilitation to select the appropriate layout for FWD testing, establish joint performance threshold values, optimize FWD testing time and cost, and evaluate the effect of asphalt overlays on joint performance parameters. Moreover, the performance of full-depth repairs (FDR) and the incorporation of joint performance at the design stage were studied. Residential streets joint and basin FWD testing was completed to evaluate the structural capacity of residential streets and compare their performance to arterial regional roads. Comparisons between two widely used FWD geophones layouts allowed for the selection of a layout that represents the more critical loading condition on joints. Peak deflections and differential deflections were correlated with load transfer efficiencies to select threshold values for LTEs, peak deflections and differential deflections to trigger rehabilitation at the appropriate time. Statistical testing was used to optimize FWD testing to two load levels instead of four. The study found that asphalt overlays reduce recorded deflections and overestimate computed joints performance parameters. The effect of asphalt overlays was evaluated to establish correction factors, Fasphalt, for each load level to estimate deflections on the concrete surface using deflections obtained from testing on the overlay surface of Pembina Highway. The correction was found to improve the reliability of joint condition evaluation for that site. The study also found that FDRs generally restore the load transfer capacity of joints with good support and mechanical load transfer achieved. Moreover, it was demonstrated that joint performance information can be used at the design stage in the decision-making process to select the location and type of joint repairs. Lastly, residential streets were found to have less load transfer capacity than arterial regional roads