Development of an Accelerated Pavement Test Facility for Florida Department of Transportation.

摘要

This report is the Final Report in a three-phase research project to study the feasibility of establishing an accelerated pavement testing (API) facility in Florida. The first Interim Report covered Phase I, which included a review of the state of the art in accelerated pavement testing devices and an APT needs analysis for the Florida DOT. The first report identified three potential locations for an APT facility in Florida and listed all the potential APT devices. The second Interim Report concluded the Phase II research effort. The three devices selected by Florida DOT for further study in Phase II were the Texas Mobile Load Simulator (MLS), the Spanish CEDEX racetrack device, and the Purdue University small linear device. Each of the three devices was revisited and thoroughly studied for Florida application during Phase II. The requirements of an accelerated pavement test facility are linked closely with the level and types of testing. In most cases, for a given level of testing, the type of device selected will have less effect on the support facilities required. Administration, laboratory, instrumentation, maintenance, repair, and storage requirements are a function of the level of testing and staffing. Layout of the facility can be accomplished depending upon the level of testing and support provided for each of the options. The layout of the Spanish facility, the new Turner-Fairbanks facility, and the conceptual MLS fixed facility are examples that should be considered in a final facility design. In case the schedule has an impact on the device selected, the report provides estimated schedules to compare the relative time to design and construct both the device and facility for each option. The MLS options can be implemented in the shortest time.