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

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: (1) 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; (2) development of a methodology to quantify the temporal variation of unbound layer strength/stiffness in response to the MC or DOS temporal variations; and (3) 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; and (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.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $56189
• Contract Numbers:

  124060-RC00159

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Virginia Transportation Research Council

  530 Edgemont Road
  Charlottesville, VA  United States  22903
• Managing Organizations:

  Virginia Transportation Research Council

  530 Edgemont Road
  Charlottesville, VA  United States  22903
• Project Managers:

  Hossain, Shabbir

• Performing Organizations:

  Applied Research Associates, Incorporated

  7184 Troy Hill Drive, Suite N
  Elkridge, Maryland  United States  21075
• Principal Investigators:

  Shirazi, Shahab

• Start Date: 20230918
• Expected Completion Date: 20240531
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Floods; Moisture content; Pavement design; Pavement layers; Saturated soils; Stiffness
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Highways; Hydraulics and Hydrology; Pavements;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01914085
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Virginia Department of Transportation
• Contract Numbers: 124060-RC00159
• Files: RIP, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Apr 9 2024 8:27AM