Presentation
On
Strengthening of flexible pavement using
Benkelman Beam deflection technique
Pankaj Yadav & Rajendra Singh Dhaka
IRSE(P), 2011 Exam Batch
Course No: 13001
Outline
• Introduction
• The Benkelman Beam
• Measurement of deflection
• Corrections for deflection
• Computation of design traffic
• Design of overlay thickness
• Example
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Introduction
• Need
– Increase in traffic volume
– Change in climatic conditions
– Sub-grade condition
– Pavement distress
• Principle
– Pavement deforms elastically on application of loads
– Rebound deflection (elastic recovery) of deformed pavement surface
when load moves away
– Rebound deflections are measured with the help of a Benkelman
Beam
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The Benkelman Beam
1.22 m Deflection dial
2.44 m
Front Datum Rear
Probe beam support support support
2.7 m
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Specification for measurement
• Points of deflection measurement
Pavement edge
0.6m / 0.9m/1.5m
C-Line
– Min 10 deflection measurements for each section, max spacing
between two points should not be more than 50m
– If the highest or the lowest deflection value differs from the mean by
more than one-third of the mean, then extra deflection measurement
should be made at 25 m on either side of point
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Specification for measurement …contd
• Loading
– Axle load of 8170 kg / load of 4085 kg on dual wheels
– Tyre pressure, p = 5.6 kg / cm2
– Standard pavement temperature = 35°C
– Recommended to carry out test soon after monsoon
• Pavement condition survey
– Visual inspection of the road stretch and grouping into sub-stretches
– Assessment of pavement cracking
– Rut depth measurements
Good, fair and poor pavements.
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Measurement of deflection
Placement of probe Initial Intermediate Final
position position position
2.7m 9.0m
tyre
Pavement surface
Elevation
0.6 m or 0.9m
Dual wheel assembly
Centre line of pavement
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Placement of probe
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Recording the measurements
Date and time of observation :
Name of road :
Climatic conditions(hot/humid/cold) :
Air temperature, °C :
Section :
Annual Rainfall, mm :
No. of Traffic Whether temperature correction is to be applied : Yes/No
lanes :
Whether correction for seasonal variation is to be : Yes/No
applied
S. No Location of test Pavement Type of Moisture Dial gauge reading Rebound
point and temperature, soil content Deflection
identification °C and PI % Initial Intermediate Final (mm)
of lane Do Di Df
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Notes:
1. Pavement temperature shall be measure every hour
2. Traffic data : classified volume of vehicles of gross load over 3 t, growth rate, axle load data
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Analysis of data
• Point deflection
– If Di ~ Df is less than 0.025mm (2.5 div.),
D = 0.02 (Do – Df)
– If Di ~ Df is more than 0.025mm (2.5 div.),
D= 0.02 (Do – Df) + 0.0582 (Di – Df)
• Find Mean Deflection, D
• Characteristic Deflection, Dc
– For arterial roads (NHs, SHs)
Dc = D + 2 σ
– For Low volume roads
Dc = D + σ
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Corrections for deflection
• Temperature correction
– Standard test temperature is 350 C
– Correction = 0.01 mm per degree change in temperature
• Correction for Seasonal Variation
– subgrade soil
– sandy/gravelly
– clayey with PI<15
– clayey with PI>15)
– Field moisture content
– Average annual rainfall (<1300 mm or >1300 mm)
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Seasonal correction factor
Clayey subgrade, PI>15
Rainfall >1300 mm
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Computation of design traffic
• Cumulative numbers of standard axles
365 * A{(1 r ) x 1)}
Ns *F
r
Ns = cumulative number of standard axles
A = Initial traffic in the year of completion of construction
r = Annual growth rate of commercial vehicles
x = design life in years
F = vehicle damage factor ( number of standard axles per
commercial vehicle)
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Design of Overlay
Bituminous Macadam Overlay, mm
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Design of Overlay ...contd
• The curves give the thickness in terms of bituminous
macadam
• If other compositions are to be laid then
– 1 cm of Bituminous macadam = 1.5 cm of WBM/WMM/BUSG
– 1 cm of Bituminous macadam = 0.7 cm of AC/DBM/SDBC
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Example
• Data available
– Deflection values (mm)
1.40,1.32,1.25,1.35,1.48,1.60,1.65,1.55,1.45,1.40,1.36,1.46,1.5,1.52,1.45
– Pavement Temperature = 30o C
– Subgrade moisture content = 8%, clayey soil, PI>15
– Average annual rain fall = 1500 mm
– Two lane single carriageway
– ADT of Trucks = 1000
– Annual growth rate = 5%
– VDF = 4.5
• Solution
– Mean deflection = 1.45 mm
– Standard Deviation = 0.107 mm
– Characteristic deflection = 1.45 + 2(0.107) = 1.664 mm
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Example …contd
– Correction for temperature = 0.01(35-30) = 0.05 mm
– Characteristic deflection after temperature correction
= 1.664+0.05 = 1.714 mm
– Seasonal correction factor = 1.4
– Corrected characteristic deflection = 1.4 (1.714) = 2.3996 mm
– Design traffic = 1000 * 365*12.57*4.5*0.75 = 15.5 msa
– Thickness of overlay in terms of BM from the chart = 190 mm
– Thickness in terms of DBM/AC = 190*0.7 = 133 mm
– Provide 40 mm AC and 95 mm DBM
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Thank You
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