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Publication Number:  FHWA-HRT-18-050    Date:  November 2018
Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-18-050
Date: November 2018

 

Analysis Procedures for Evaluating Superheavy Load Movement on Flexible Pavements, Volume II: Appendix A, Experimental Program

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TECHNICAL REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE,
Box 15
Nadarajah Sivaneswaran (HRDI-20; ORCID: 0000-0002-3525-9165), Office of Infrastructure Research and Development, Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center, served as the Contracting Officer’s Representative. Nadarajah Sivaneswaran (HRDI-20; ORCID: 0000-0003-0287-664X), Office of Infrastructure Research and Development, Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center, served as the Contracting Officer’s Representative.

FOREWORD

The movement of superheavy loads (SHLs) on the Nation’s highways is an increasingly common, vital economic necessity for many important industries, such as chemical, oil, electrical, and defense. Many superheavy components are extremely large and heavy (gross vehicle weights in excess of a few million pounds), and they often require specialized trailers and hauling units. At times, SHL vehicles have been assembled to suit the load being transported, and therefore, the axle configurations have not been standard or consistent. Accommodating SHL movements without undue damage to highway infrastructure requires the determination of whether the pavement is structurally adequate to sustain the SHL movement and protect any underground utilities. Such determination involves analyzing the likelihood of instantaneous or rapid load-induced shear failure of the pavement structure.

The goal of this project was to develop a comprehensive analysis process for evaluating SHL movement on flexible pavements. As part of this project, a comprehensive mechanistic-based analysis approach consisting of several analysis procedures was developed for flexible pavement structures and documented in a 10-volume series of Federal Highway Administration reports—a final report and 9 appendices.(1–9) This is Analysis Procedures for Evaluating Superheavy Load Movement on Flexible Pavements, Volume Ⅱ: Appendix A, Experimental Program, and it details the experimental program that was undertaken as a part of the development of a comprehensive analysis process for evaluating SHL movement on flexible pavements. This report is intended for use by highway agency pavement engineers responsible for assessing the structural adequacy of pavements in the proposed route and identifying mitigation strategies, where warranted, in support of the agency’s response to SHL-movement permit requests.

 

Cheryl Allen Richter, Ph.D., P.E.
Director, Office of Infrastructure
Research and Development

Notice

This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) in the interest of information exchange. The U.S. Government assumes no liability for the use of the information contained in this document.

The U.S. Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trademarks or manufacturers’ names appear in this report only because they are considered essential to the objective of the document.

Quality Assurance Statement

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides high-quality information to serve Government, industry, and the public in a manner that promotes public understanding. Standards and policies are used to ensure and maximize the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of its information. FHWA periodically reviews quality issues and adjusts its programs and processes to ensure continuous quality improvement

 

Technical Report Documentation Page

1. Report No.

FHWA-HRT-18-050

2. Government Accession No.

 

3 Recipient's Catalog No.

 

4. Title and Subtitle

Analysis Procedures for Evaluating Superheavy Load Movement on Flexible Pavements, Volume II: Appendix A, Experimental Program

5. Report Date

November 2018

6. Performing Organization Code

 

7. Author(s)

Mohamed Nimeri (ORCID: 0000-0002-3328-4367),
Hadi Nabizadeh (ORCID: 0000-0001-8215-1299), Elie Y. Hajj (ORCID: 0000-0001-8568-6360), Raj V. Siddharthan (ORCID: 0000-0002-3847-7934), Sherif Elfass (ORCID: 0000-0003-3401-6513), and Murugaiyah Piratheepan (ORCID: 0000-0002-3302-4856)

8. Performing Organization Report No.

WRSC-UNR-201710-01A

9. Performing Organization Name and Address

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
University of Nevada
1664 North Virginia Street
Reno, NV 89557

10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS)

 

11. Contract or Grant No.

DTFH61-13-C-00014

12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address

Office of Infrastructure Research and Development
Federal Highway Administration
Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center
6300 Georgetown Pike
McLean, VA 22101

13. Type of Report and Period Covered

Final Report; August 2013–July 2018

14. Sponsoring Agency Code

HRDI-20

15. Supplementary Notes

Nadarajah Sivaneswaran (HRDI-20; ORCID: 0000-0003-0287-664X*), Office of Infrastructure Research and Development, Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center, served as the Contracting Officer’s Representative.

16. Abstract

The movement of superheavy loads (SHLs) has become more common over the years since it is a vital necessity for many important industries, such as chemical, oil, electrical, and defense. SHL hauling units are much larger in size and weight compared to standard trucks. SHL vehicles’ gross vehicle weights may be in excess of a few million pounds, so they often require specialized trailers and components with nonstandard spacing between tires and axles. Accommodating SHL movements requires the determination of whether the pavement is structurally adequate and involves the analysis of the likelihood of instantaneous or rapid load-induced shear failure. As part of the Federal Highway Administration project, Analysis Procedures for Evaluating Superheavy Load Movement on Flexible Pavements, a comprehensive experimental program was designed and conducted to verify and calibrate multiple theoretical approaches for the SHL analysis methodology. This experimental program included five different large-scale experiments with different objectives and characteristics using a large-scale box. The first two experiments consisted of a subgrade (SG) layer (experiment number (No.) 1) and an SG with a crushed-aggregate base layer on top (experiment No. 2). The subsequent three experiments consisted of a full pavement structure (experiment No. 3), a full pavement structure with a sloped shoulder (experiment No. 4), and a full pavement structure with a flexible and a rigid buried utility embedded in the SG layer (experiment No. 5). This report details each experiment’s objectives, materials characterization, and construction techniques. It also presents the experimental measurements.

17. Key Words

Flexible pavement, superheavy load, large-scale box, instrumentation, dynamic loading

18. Distribution Statement

No restrictions. This document is available to the public through the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA 22161.
https://www.ntis.gov

19. Security Classification
(of this report)

Unclassified

20. Security Classification
(of this page)

Unclassified

21. No. of Pages

110

22. Price

N/A

Form DOT F 1700.7 (8-72) Reproduction of completed page authorized

*Revised 4/17/19

 

 

 

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Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center | 6300 Georgetown Pike | McLean, VA | 22101