RESPONSES AND PERFORMANCE OF A TEST PAVEMENT TO TWO FREEZE-THAW CYCLES

As part of an international study, during 1996 and 1997, the Danish Road Institute (DRI) and the Institute for Planning of the Danish Technical University (DTU) constructed and instrumented a full-scale test pavement (RTM2) in the Danish Road Testing machine. By the end of 1997, 150,000 dual wheel load repetitions at +25 degrees C were applied at 40kN, 50kN and 60 kN load levels. During 1998, an additional 10,000 load repetitions were applied at the 60kN load level, bringing the total number of applied loads to 160,000 (160k) load repetitions. Two cycles of freeze-thaw followed by limited number of load repetitions during thawing at +25 degrees C and 60kN accelerated load testing were then undertaken. This report describes the structural testing, the material response measurements and the pavement performance monitoring carried out during the freeze-thaw periods, and the accelerated load testing undertaken immediately following the first and second thaws.