Full-Scale Evaluation of Geogrid-Reinforced Thin Flexible Pavements

A full-sale test section was constructed and subjected to traffic loading at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center to evaluate the performance of a geogrid that was used for base reinforcement in a thin flexible pavement. Three test items—a geogrid-reinforced test item and two unreinforced control test items—were constructed under controlled conditions. The test pavements were subjected to accelerated traffic loading to evaluate the relative performance of the pavement structures. Pavement stiffness and permanent surface deformations were measured periodically throughout the testing. The study results showed that the geogrid-reinforced pavement performed better than the unreinforced control pavements did. The results were used to develop traffic benefit ratios and effective base course structural coefficients to enable comparison of the pavement structures.