DEVELOPMENT OF IMPROVED MECHANISTIC DETERIORATION MODELS FOR FLEXIBLE PAVEMENTS

The paper describes a pilot study in Denmark with the main objective of developing improved mechanistic deterioration models for flexible pavements based on an accelerated full scale test on an instrumented pavement in the Danish Road Testing Machine. The study was the first step in "International Pavement Subgrade Performance Study" sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), USA. The paper describes in detail the data analysis and the resulting models for rutting, roughness, and a model for the plastic strain in the subgrade. The reader will get an understanding of the work needed to be done to be successful in establishing mechanistic deterioration models based on Accelerated Load Testing (ALT) complemented by laboratory testing.