Dynamic Poroelasticity Based Method for Falling Weight Deflectometer Test Analysis

ABSTRACT: Pavement structures reach performance limits when there are multiple deteriorations caused by repeated vehicle loading and environmental effects. Therefore, acquiring detailed information about the state of the pavement structures is an important element in rehabilitation planning of sections showing significant damage. Falling Weight Deflectometer Test (FWD) is one of the most popular Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) techniques in characterization of the mechanical properties of the pavement structure. The FWD test measures the surface deflections caused by dropping a known mass from a specific height. Geophones are used to record the time histories of the vertical deflections of the pavement surface at various distances from the centre of the load-plate. The response at the surface calculated from Boussinesq theory (static analysis) and proposed dynamic analysis are compared. Furthermore, the damping effect of water on the FWD test data under dynamic load is investigated.