1. International Journal of Civil Engineering and CIVIL ENGINEERING AND6308
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF Technology (IJCIET), ISSN 0976 –
(Print), ISSN 0976 – 6316(Online) Volume 4, Issue 6, November – December (2013), © IAEME
TECHNOLOGY (IJCIET)
ISSN 0976 – 6308 (Print)
ISSN 0976 – 6316(Online)
Volume 4, Issue 6, November – December, pp. 55-60
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IJCIET
©IAEME
A COMPARATIVE INVESTIGATION ON LABORATORY WHEEL
TRACKING WITH MEDIUM SCALE ACCELERATED TESTING
Dr. K.V.KRISHNA REDDY
Professor, Civil Engineering Department, MVSR Engineering College, Hyderabad, AP, India
ABSTRACT
In the present study, an attempt is made to compare the rut resistance results obtained from
Laboratory wheel tracking Equipment with that of the field testing using a Medium Scale
Accelerated Pavement Rut Tester. The study includes evaluation of the conventional and modified
bituminous surface courses in the laboratory and field testing with Medium Scale Accelerated
Pavement Rut Tester (MAPRT) on a test track. Modification of the bituminous concrete is done with
fly ash and lime. The results showed that the laboratory wheel tracking results are conservative by
50%.
Key Words: Medium Scale Accelerated Pavement Testing, Laboratory Wheel tracking, Rutting
1.
INTRODUCTION
In recent years, highways have experienced an increase in rutting in bituminous concrete
pavements. The increased rutting has been attributed to increase in axle loads and traffic volumes.
The base course and Subbase materials used in the conventional flexible pavements have good
material properties and sufficient strength to transfer the loads coming from the top layers leaving
the surface course vulnerable to damages.
The performance of the top surface material is evaluated by either laboratory wheel tracking
device, medium scale accelerated testing or full scale testing. Full scale testing need long study
periods leaving the option between laboratory and medium scale testing. In the present study, an
attempt is made to compare the results of rutting resistance of the bituminous concrete mixes with a
laboratory wheel tracking device and a medium scale accelerate pavement rut tester (Krishna
Reddy.K.V, 2007). Conventional bituminous concrete along with filler modified bituminous
concrete is considered for evaluating the comparison.
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2. International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology (IJCIET), ISSN 0976 – 6308
(Print), ISSN 0976 – 6316(Online) Volume 4, Issue 6, November – December (2013), © IAEME
2.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
2.1 Laboratory testing
80/100-penetration grade bitumen has been considered as basic material for the surface
course. Aggregates with grade II specifications as per MORTH (Ministry of Road Transport and
Highways) specification have been collected from local quarry. Basic material properties have been
determined as per codal provisions. Laboratory tests, namely abrasion, attrition, impact value, shape
and crushing value have been conducted on the aggregate and the properties of the same are reported
in Table 1. Tests on bitumen, namely penetration, ductility, softening point, specific gravity and
flash& fire point test have been conducted and the findings are as per Table 2.
Table 1 Properties of aggregate used for surface course
Property
Value
Property
CA 2.79
Specific gravity
Abrasion value
FA 2.76
15%
Impact value
Attrition value
20%
Crushing value
Shape test (EI+FI)
Table 2 Properties of bitumen used for modification
Property
Value
Property
1.04
Specific gravity
Ductility
Penetration (in 0.1mm)
Softening point
84.65
Flash point Fire point
0
47 C
Value
24%
21%
13%
Value
100+ cm
2700C 3150C
130 Sec
Viscosity
Fly ash is procured from Ramagundam thermal power plant, Hydrated lime of specific
gravity 2.35 is procured locally. Filler is introduced by replacing the finer fraction (<75micron) in
the aggregate in terms of % by weight of aggregate. Marshall Mix design using conventional
materials was conducted on three samples each. The optimum bitumen content for conventional
bituminous concrete mix is found to 4.3% for grade-II aggregates. Further, optimum filler content in
case of lime and fly ash were evaluated by adding them at the optimum bitumen content for the
conventional bitumen The mix design values for conventional and modified mixes are as given in
Table 3.
S.No
Table 3. Properties of conventional and modified bituminous mixes
Fly ash
Lime modified
Mix / Property
Conventional mix
modified mix
mix
1
Optimum Bitumen / filler
content
2
4.3% (Bitumen)
2.30%
2.80%
MSV (Kg)
1300
1505
2650
3
Air voids (%)
3.875
4.5
4.05
4
Flow value (mm)
2.375
3.38
3.5
5
Bulk density (g/cc)
2.520
2.43
2.446
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3. International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology (IJCIET), ISSN 0976 – 6308
(Print), ISSN 0976 – 6316(Online) Volume 4, Issue 6, November – December (2013), © IAEME
2.2 Equipment used
Laboratory wheel tracking test (hamburg) was used in the laboratory to evaluate the rutting
resistance of the conventional and filler modified bituminous concrete samples. Medium Scale
Accelerated Pavement Rut Tester (MAPRT) is used to conduct field tests operating on a circular
track. This equipment can be used to evaluate the performance of the pavements in terms of rut
depth. The lab and field equipments used are as shown in the Fig. 1(a) and (b).
Fig.1 (a) Laboratory wheel-tracking test
Fig.1 (b) Medium scale accelerated pavement rut tester
2.3 Test Track Layout and Design
The test track pavement lay out is as shown in Fig.2. Design of the test track was done to
ensure that the stresses reach the subgrade. FPAVE program was used to determine the stresses
reaching the subgrade. Since, the wheel considered distributes load over a circular area of radius
2.82cm, to ensure that the stresses reach the subgrade and facilitate the testing of subgrade and
surface in combination, a pavement with 40mm thick bituminous concrete, 75mm of WBM base
course and 100 mm of subbase course was prepared. This pavement system is similar to the fullscale pavements in terms of stresses reaching the subgrade under full-scale wheel loads.
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4. International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology (IJCIET), ISSN 0976 – 6308
(Print), ISSN 0976 – 6316(Online) Volume 4, Issue 6, November – December (2013), © IAEME
3 DATA ANALYSIS
The results obtained are plotted with number of wheel load repetitions on x -axis and rut
depth on y-axis as shown in Figure 3. for both laboratory wheel tracking testing and test track testing
using medium scale accelerated pavement rut tester.
Fig.2 Test track Layout
Fig 3. Plot showing rut life of the bituminous mixes in terms of wheel load repetitions
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5. International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology (IJCIET), ISSN 0976 – 6308
(Print), ISSN 0976 – 6316(Online) Volume 4, Issue 6, November – December (2013), © IAEME
4. RESULTS
The plots are interpreted and the results are tabulated in the Table 4. It depicts the no of
wheel load repetitions sustained by the conventional and filler modified bituminous concrete
materials under the laboratory wheel tracking test on laboratory samples and under medium scale
accelerated pavement rut tester on the test track.
Table 2 Rut Life of pavement in terms of repetitions of wheel load
S. No
1
2
3
Type of
Bituminous
Surface
Conventional
Flyash modified
Lime modified
No of repetitions for a rut depth of
25.4mm
Wheel tracking
test
190000
225000
240000
Medium Scale
Accelerated
Pavement Rut Tester
132000
152027
160000
% Variation
43.9%
48%
50%
5. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
At the outset the author would thank the Head, CED and TE division, and Head CED,
MVSREC for their valuable guidance and encouragement during experimentation.
6. CONCLUSION
1) Conventional bituminous concrete could sustain 190000 wheel load repetitions in the
Laboratory compared to 132000 repetitions on field under medium scale accelerated testing.
2) Bituminous concrete modified by 2.8% Hydraulic lime could sustain 225000 wheel load
repetitions in the Laboratory compared to 152027 repetitions on field under medium scale
accelerated testing.
3) Bituminous concrete modified by 2.3% flyash could sustain 240000 wheel load repetitions in
the Laboratory compared to 160000 repetitions on field under medium scale accelerated
testing.
4) The laboratory wheel tracking results are conservative by 50% when compared to accelerated
pavement testing results using a medium scale accelerated pavement rut tester.
7. REFERENCES
1.
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6. International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology (IJCIET), ISSN 0976 – 6308
(Print), ISSN 0976 – 6316(Online) Volume 4, Issue 6, November – December (2013), © IAEME
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