Freeze-Thaw Performance Assessment of Stabilized Pavement Foundations

摘要

This paper presents results of an in situ experimental investigation assessing the freeze-thawperformance of pavement foundation subbase and subgrade layer test sections constructed inBoone, Iowa with fifteen different stabilization techniques including geosynthetics, chemicalstabilizers, and use of recycled materials. Falling weight deflectometer (FWD) and dynamic conepenetrometer (DCP) tests were performed prior to (October 2012) and after one season offreezing and thawing (April 2013). FWD and DCP test results indicated that sections withcement stabilization in subbase/subgrade provided the highest values during spring-thaw. Multivariatestatistical analysis correlating surface elastic modulus with CBR of the subbase andsubgrade layers revealed that subgrade layer properties are more statistically significant inmeasurements taken during April (spring-thaw) than in October. FWD test results indicateddeeper influence depths with higher applied loads. Based on the engineering analysis andconstruction cost data for the various sections, results from a simple cost analysis is provided inthis paper. Results from this study demonstrates the significance and value in stabilizing afoundation layer to achieving better freeze-thaw performance.