Triaxial Testing of Elastoplastic Materials Toward Scaled-Down Accelerated Pavement Testing

Abstract

Small-scale testing of pavement materials provides an alternative means for preliminary indicator or ranking tests before, or in place of, expensive full-scale Accelerated Pavement Testing. To carry out scaled tests effectively, dimensional analysis considerations must be met. This implies that the laws of similitude require observation. In particular, scaled-down pavement layers must be subjected to the same stresses and strains as the full-scale pavement under equivalent loading. In addition, the material properties of the scaled-down layer must be equivalent to the full-scale materials. Research was carried out into the scaling down of different materials, including untreated and emulsion-modified granular materials. Various tests, including static and dynamic triaxial tests, were performed on the materials at full scale and at small scale (1: 10). The test results are discussed with a comparison between the full-scale and scaled-down material properties. Conclusions were drawn concerning the appropriateness of scaling down elastoplastic materials, the requirements of the laws of similitude, the main factors that require consideration for scaling, the need for additional research, and the direction that this research should pursue.