POSSIBLE METHOD OF DETERMINING STRUCTURAL NUMBER FOR FLEXIBLE PAVEMENTS WITH THE FALLING

The paper describes a procedure where the condition of flexible pavements is investigated with the help of non-destructive tests such as the Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD). The condition or indication of structural strength is expressed in terms of the Structural Number (SN). An existing method of determining the Structural Number was used as benchmark with data from a recent detailed pavement investigation. The benchmark SN determination also makes use of the Dynamic Cone Penetrometer (DCP) method. Previously only limited aspects of the measured deflection bowl were used to determine SN non-destructively. In this improved procedure additional deflection bowl parameters were investigated for their possible improvement in the determination of the SN or PN. The proposed method was therefore benchmarked against existing methods to determine SN for a pavement to see if it can lead to an improvement in determining SN values