Use of the Falkorr Traffic Speed Deflectometer Device at Autopista Fernão Dias: A Case History Study

Abstract

The traffic speed deflectometer device (TSDD) was developed to measure pavement deformations at standard traffic speeds, offering significant advantages over traditional methods like the falling weight deflectometer (FWD). These advantages include technical aspects, such as the amount of data that can be collected about structural pavement behavior, and operational aspects, such as not requiring traffic control measures during implementation and reduced data collection time. This technology was introduced in Brazil in 2023, and since then, studies have been conducted to validate it for network- and project-level analyses. This study evaluates the Falkorr TSDD, using the technology from Measure, for repeatability, the influence of vehicle speed, and its correlation with FWD measurements under local conditions on a major Brazilian highway network. Field surveys were conducted on the Betim Beltway and the Autopista Fernão Dias Network in Brazil. The Falkorr TSDD demonstrated high repeatability and accuracy that was unaffected by varying speeds. A strong correlation was found between the deflections measured by the Falkorr TSDD and the FWD, validating the TSDD’s effectiveness for nondestructive pavement assessment. The study concludes that the Falkorr TSDD is a reliable tool for continuous pavement evaluation, enhancing safety and efficiency in pavement structural evaluation.