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Publication Details

Application Notes: FWD Calibration Centers Ensure States Get Quality Data 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 Maintenance

Description: In 1999, $5.5 billion in Federal highway funds were spent on pavement rehabilitation and resurfacing. To make the best possible decisions about where and when to conduct pavement rehabilitation work, State departments of transportation (DOTs) need extensive data on the structural condition of pavement.

To measure the structural condition of pavement, most pavement engineers rely on falling-weight deflectometer (FWD) technology. FWDs "thump" the pavement and record information about its structure and integrity. But like all sophisticated tools, the FWD must be properly calibrated. If it is not, measurements will be inaccurate. Inaccuracy wastes precious budget dollars.

FHWA Publication Number: FHWA-RD-02-067

Publication Year: 2002

Document Links: HTML  PDF (file size: 0.1 mb)



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Updated: 04/11/2022
Federal Highway Administration | 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE | Washington, DC 20590 | 202-366-4000