Integrating Deflection and Ground Penetrating Radar Data for Pavement Evaluation

This project summary report summarizes the research performed in Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Project 0-4495. TxDOT has used both falling weight deflectometer (FWD) and ground penetrating radar (GPR) technology for over 10 years to provide structural information about its pavements. With the current systems, GPR data are processed independently of the FWD analysis. GPR data are processed with the COLORMAP analysis system, and FWD data are processed with MODULUS 6.0. There is substantial synergy in combining the analysis capabilities of both systems. In Project 0-4495 an integrated software package called PAVECHECK was developed to merge the FWD and GPR data together with digital video images of surface condition. The new feature in this analysis is that point-specific layer thickness estimates from GPR can be used within the layer backcalculation process. Most of the features of the existing COLORMAP and MODULUS programs have been incorporated into PAVECHECK. This system has tremendous potential to assist TxDOT engineers with future forensic and pavement rehabilitation studies. The PAVECHECK framework can also serve as a basis for future pavement layer database efforts and for documenting and evaluating the performance of research test sections.