Development of Methodology to Address Impact of Softened Unbound Layers Due to Flooding/Precipitation/Storm Surge

About the project:

The Preliminary Investigation (Phase 1), is to perform a preliminary investigation of the current practices used for assessing the variation of the moisture content and stiffness conditions of unbound pavement layers due to the occurrence of extreme climatic events (i.e., precipitation increase, riverine flooding and storm surge). These findings will determine the level of effort for subsequent phases.

The project is a multiple-phase effort with these objectives:

• Development of an analytical approach to quantify temporal variation of Moisture Content (MC) or Degree of Saturation (DOS) in unbound layers driven by climatic events
• Development of a methodology to quantify the temporal variation of unbound layer strength/stiffness in response to the MC or DOS temporal variations
• Development of a methodology to incorporate the temporal variation of unbound layer stiffness during the pavement ME design

The Preliminary Investigation includes:

1. Project kick-off meeting and check-in meetings
   
   
2. Literature review

• • Identification of data sources
  • Summary of relevant information
  • Identification of tools/programs/software/formulation/methodology that covers modeling of MC/DOS quantifications

3. Documentation of key data inputs

• • Identification of parameters and inputs for MS/DOS quantification and pavement ME design tool
  • Identification of principles with limitations, boundary conditions, and assumptions as required for modeling MC/DOS quantification using the software/tool identified
  • Identification of principles with limitations, boundary conditions and assumptions of the Pavement ME model used for predicting water content fluctuation
  • Identification of principles with limitations, boundary conditions and assumptions of the Pavement ME model used for predicting stiffness

4. Report will include the following:

• • Findings from the literature review
  • Report of key data inputs including field tests and likely predictive models
  • Recommendations for future tasks

Project Team

Project Monitor

Other Investigators