Structural Changes...

With repeated loading from traffic or weather, a pavement will fatigue.  It is important to track the structural quality of a pavement in order to timely apply a corrective activity.  Simply stated, the change in integrity over time is one measure of structural changes.  Another measure is tracking the change in stiffness over time. 

For concrete pavements, there is an excellent discussion of GPR and Surface Wave/Impact Echo Methods discussed under Bridge Decks.  Although the discussion is directed toward a concrete structure, the same general approaches toward problem-solving and initial screening, followed up by point data collection (NDT or limited destructive sampling) at identified, or targeted, locations, should be used for all pavement types.

Techniques Recommended

Surface NDT Methods:

• Ground penetrating radar (GPR)
• Surface wave seismic methods
• Impact Echo

While other methods are available or under development, the ones listed above provide cost-effective determination of pavement structural changes.

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