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GeoAmericas - 2020
Abstract: 39-1

39-1

Performance Evaluation of Geosynthetic Reinforced Flexible Pavement using Full-Scale Accelerated Loading Test

Authors:
Murad1, Shadi1
1 LSU - Louisiana State University

Abstract:

An accelerated moving wheel load testing was conducted on full-scale test lane sections to evaluate the benefits of using geosynthetics to enhance the performance of pavement constructed over soft subgrade soil. Six full-scale test lane sections were constructed, among which two sections were reinforced by one or two layers of triaxial geogrids, two sections were reinforced by one layer of high strength geotextile with different base layer thickness, and the remaining two sections were the control sections. The test sections were instrumented by a variety of sensors to measure the load- and environment-associated pavement response and performance. Results of the full-scale testing on the pavement test sections clearly demonstrate the benefits of using geosynthetics in reducing the permanent deformation in the pavement structure. The benefit of geosynthetics on the reduction of maximum stress on top of subgrade is more distinguishable at higher load level. The results also show that geosynthetic placed at the base-subgrade interface was able to improve the performance of both subgrade and base layers; and by placing an additional layer of geogrid at the upper one-third of the base layer, the performance of base layer was further enhanced. The adjusted traffic benefit ratio (TBRadj) at a rut depth of 19 mm was increased from 1.30-1.32 for one geosynthetic layer to 1.96 for two geosynthetic layers. While the geosynthetic showed appreciable benefit on reducing the permanent deformation of subgrade in this study, it showed little effect on the resilient properties of subgrade. Results of this study also demonstrates the crucial effect of drainage on the performance of pavement structures for both unreinforced and reinforced sections.

Keywords:
 Geosynthetic, Pavement, Accelerated loading test, Reinforcement, Permanent deformation