Rational Pavement Evaluation-Review of Present Technology.

To develop a detailed research plan for rational pavement evaluation, selected theoretical concepts for flexible and rigid airfield and highway pavements were reviewed and appraised. Methods used by the US Navy, Corps of Engineers, various States, research associations, and foreign countries, were included in the review. The development and application of techniques presently used in design procedures, as disclosed by the concept reviews, are discussed and evaluated to determine the degree to which design practices fulfill current requirements relative to structural evaluation of pavements. Shortcomings as well as advantages of existing design practices are comapred and summarized. Theories developed for engineering disciplines other than pavement mechanics, with possible application to design and evaluation of airfield pavements, are also reviewed and analyzed. Computational techniques utilizing modern, high-speed computers for the development of alternate approaches to structural analyses are discussed and recommendations are made for the development of the desired rational pavement evaluation research program. Author