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Publication Details

Determination of Frost Penetration in LTPP Sections, Final Report Research/Reference: useful for researchers doing further work in the pavement area as well as those developing improved testing and design procedures. Includes documents of historical value.

Primary Topic: Pavement Base and Subbase

Description: To better understand the environmental factors and their effects on pavement performance, the Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) Seasonal Monitoring Program (SMP) was initiated during 1992. Sixty-four LTPP pavement sections were identified to be included in the SMP. These sections are monitored frequently to acquire data on seasonal variation in pavement conditions. As part of this program, work is being performed to identify and monitor the freeze state in the base, subbase, and subgrade at the SMP sections located in the freeze zone in the United States and Canada. This work makes use of temperature sensors and electrical resistivity techniques.

The main goal of the study reported here was to determine frost penetration at the selected SMP sections. As part of the study, an interactive computer program, FROST, was developed to facilitate the interpretation of the electrical resistivity and temperature data. Analysis results include the freeze state at each electrical resistivity sensor and the frost penetration at each site.

As part of the overall LTPP data analysis effort, it is expected that the information on the seasonal variation in the freeze state in the unbound base, subbase, and subgrade will be used to develop improved understanding of the seasonal variation in the load-carrying capacity of pavements and the subsequent effect on pavement performance.

FHWA Publication Number: FHWA-RD-99-088

Publication Year: 1999

Document Links: HTML  PDF (file size: 4 mb)



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Updated: 04/11/2022
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