The falling weight deflectometer (FWD) for

characterization bonding state of subgrade

Cite as: AIP Conference Proceedings 2020, 020022 (2018); https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5062648
Published Online: 05 October 2018

M. Razali, N. A. Che Mahmood, K. A. Hashim, S. Mansor, and N. I. Zainuddin

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AIP Conference Proceedings 2020, 020022 (2018); https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5062648 2020, 020022

© 2018 Author(s).
 The Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) for
Characterization Bonding State of Subgrade
M. Razali1, a), N. A. Che Mahmood1, K. A. Hashim1, S. Mansor 1, N. I.
Zainuddin1,b)
1
Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Mara Cawangan Pulau Pinang, 13500 Permatang Pauh, Pulau
Pinang.
a)
Corresponding author: mazlina997@ppinang.uitm.edu.my
b)
norizzah@ppinang.uitm.edu.my

Abstract. In Malaysia, the design flexible pavement issues in tropical soil became challenging to the geotechnical
engineers especially at subgrade layer. This is because, the deflection of the subgrade were effected the de-bonded of
flexible pavement from subgrade. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine the bonding state on flexible
pavement subject to subgrade. This study focuses on determining deflection analysis technique for quality control
characteristic applied onto tropical soil in Malaysia using a Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) Testing. The analysis
of this method are presented and interpreted in the shape of the deflection graph. The singnificance of this study is to
check the pavement at early stage failure and can reduce the cost of maintenance before the failure become very servere.

INTRODUCTION

Flexible pavement is a pavement that consist a mixture of bituminous asphaltic materials and aggregate. Usually,
the flexible pavement consists of four layers. The layers from top to bottom is surface course, binder course, base
and for the last one is sub-grade. The sub-grade is the ground below the road layers which is exposed once the
ground had been dug out to build the road. The void happens because of the deflection occur in between the
subgrade. In order to achieve high subgrade strength for flexible pavements, soils should have high density and low
moisture content. Besides, the flexible pavement and subgrade must be bonded and attached together. There should
be no voids between them to make sure the pavement is strong and no failure in future.
In this study, falling weight deflectometer (FWD) testing method was applied by determining the void
appearance between flexible pavement and subgrade. The results was presented through a graphical method to
investigate the pavement from early failure and can mostly reduce the cost of maintenance.
This in-situ testing (FWD) was conducted to study the time, frequency, and deflection analysis on flexible
pavement bonding state subjected to the subgrade. The data was collected by collaboration with UEM Edgenta
Environment & Material Testing Sdn Bhd. This field testing was carried out at Sungai Dua, Pulau Pinang. It was
conducted at Kilometer 130 to Kilometer 128 North Toll Sungai Dua, Pulau Pinang. The data obtained are within 4
km for two lane; right and left lane. The FWD test was done at point staggering for every 50 meter. It is to measure
the deflection of the pavement and to monitor the bonding condition of the flexible pavement. The finding of the
result shows the effect of the deflection which can be use to monitor the bonding condition between the soil and the
flexible pavement.

Advances in Civil Engineering and Science Technology

AIP Conf. Proc. 2020, 020022-1–020022-6; https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5062648
Published by AIP Publishing. 978-0-7354-1738-0/$30.00

020022-1
 FALLING WEIGHT DEFLECTOMETER (FWD)

The FWD is the non-destructive testing for flexible pavement namely also known as dynamic plate bearing test.
The equipment that was used in FWD consist of nine seismic geophones to measure the deflection of the road
pavement under the application of load from a predetermined height [1].
FWD is a device used for measuring the vertical displacements of a pavement structure caused by the load
generated by a free falling mass [2]. A FWD is used to measure the vertical deflection response of a surface to an
impulse load. Precision load measurement and deflection sensors will record the pavement surface characteristic,
which is used to calculate pavement properties such as bearing capacity, layer thicknes layers, e-moduli and
expected surface life [3].
Figure 1 shows the schematics diagram of FWD method that contains manual control and with 9 deflection
sensor (geophone) where each geophones producing a deflection. All the voids affected were measured using FWD
testing. The IUHTXHQF\ I WHPSHUDWXUH Û& DQG GHIOHFWLRQ '-D9) is analyzed by using computer system in
graphical method. Graph that were plotted from FWD Testing shows the analysis of void detection between soil and
subgrade. In analyzing the result, chainage 0 to 1125 meter was selected for this study.

FIGURE 1. Schematic diagram of load deflection on subgrade using FWD

VOID DETECTION
Deflection should always decrease with increasing distance from the load plate [4]. Non-decreasing deflection
condition occurs if it has a crack or void. As shown in Figure 2, the deflection is still stable but at chainage 775 m,
the deflection one (D1) is higher about 464 mm. It is a maximum peak deflection and it was known that this section
was having weak subgrade. It shows that, at that chainage, the void deflections is appeared and have void below the
pavement. High deflection will shows as weak subgrade support. For deflection (D9), deflection only happened at
chainage 0 to chainage 325 m. At chainage 375 m, deflection value is zero. It shows that the strength of subgrade is
higher at chainage 375 m and above. It is because, D9 was related to the subgrade strength and the low values of
deflection indicate a stiff subgrade.
Deflection level is a function of the pavement structure and is influenced by the strength or stiffness of layer and
support the subgrade. Deflection 1 and 2 indicate the overall structural condition of pavement or stiffness of
pavement. If the results shows a non-decreasing deflection at D1 and D2, it shows that the the pavement is weak.
Mostly of the chainage have a good deflection such as chainage 1425 m to chainage 1725 m shown in Figure 3. It
shows the decreasing of deflection. So, in this case, it shows that the condition of pavement at the chainage is strong
and does not have crack or void. While between chainage 1875 m to 1975 m, the deflection is not recorded because
it is a bridge area. The testing was not conducted at bridge area due to the FWD drop may cause damage to the
bridge structure.

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 .
FIGURE 2. Deflection versus Chainage

FIGURE 3. Deflection at bridge

Figure 4 shows the comparisons value deflection from zero load for D1 to D9. These graphs were plotted to
show the void detection below the flexible pavement. Theoretically, at zero load, there is no void detected. A void
detection guidelines as follows as by the 1993 AASHTO Pavement Design Guide [5]. From this manual, a void can
be detected based on the estimated deflection when load applied is set to zero.
From the graph, result shows the deflection is 100 mm at 48 KN of load. Therefore, the potential for D1 to have
a void is higher. It is because, if the deflection is small, potential to have a void will also be small [6]. So, from this
graph when deflection is higher, then potential of void occurance is also higher. From this result it can be conclude
that the condition of subgrade at that point is weak and less strength. The figure shows the deflection D2 is 80 mm,
D3 is 60 mm, D4 is 35 mm, D5 is 12 mm, D6 is 12mm, D7 is 10 mm, and D8 is 12 mm. Deflection for D5, D6 and
D8 is the same about 12 mm. It shows that the subgrade at that point have same characteristic, stiffness and strength.
For D9, it showed a small deflection about 4 mm. So, this means that at D9 the potential to void existence is small.
This is due to the higher strength of the subgrade compare to other point. Besides, if the subgrade is at high strength,
it means that the pavement is also at a good condition the maintenance work can be postponed later or was not
needed. As can be seen from all that graph, conclusion can be made that D1 have higher potential to have void since
the deflection value is 100 mm. Therefore, at D1 more testing is needed to know the condition of the pavement
below.
Figure 5 shows the graph deflection-time. The graph deflection-time of pavement can be categorized into two
which is elastic and viscoelastic [7]. These two properties of pavement structure can be illustrated by reviewing the

020022-3
deflection-time data measured with FWD Testing. Viscoelastic is a shape that take time to recover the induce
deflection after the load pulse reached to zero or state differently, the recovery of deflection is time dependent.
By using the deflection-time plot, the maximum peak deflections are not coincident. The maximum deflection is at
D1 is about 464 and time taken is 17.492 second. Besides, from the graph, hypothesis can be made if the deflection
is small, the time taken is will be higher. This means, if the time increases there are unusual occurance happening or
any abnormal occurance at subgrade. For example a finding of void which can also mean an existence of void or
cracking. D1 have a higher deflection and time compare to other deflection. So, it can concluded that the subgrade
for D1 is weak compare to the other deflection at other point or place.
For D8 and D9, it has a minimum time compare to others. It can be concluded that at that point, the condition of
pavement structure was in a good condition without void or crack. While at D1, D2, D3, and D4, it had a high
deflection but after that the deflection is down instantly. It shows that, the subgrade at that point is weak have low
strength and at the same time a void may be was detected. At certain point, the subgrade will be back to normal
condition without void being detected and resulted in a good bonding state as refer to Table 1.

FIGURE 4. Comparisons Value Deflection Due to Zero Loads (D1 - D9)

FIGURE 5. Deflection versus Time

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 EFFECT OF BONDING STATE ON FLEXIBLE PAVEMENT SUBJECTED TO
SUBGRADE

The data collected shows the flexible pavement condition such as stiffness of the pavement by using FWD
Testing. The pavement with cracks, potholes and debonded problem shows the probability of void occurance below
the pavement and subgrade is higher.
The load that was applied for FWD is at range between 40 to 50kN. Referring to figure 2 and 3, it shows that the
D1 is higher compare to the D2 untill D9. The value of deflections are depended to the condition below the
pavement. If the condition below the pavement has a void for example, it can give the effect high frequency in the
reading. The testing for FWD was repeated for 3 times to get the averag results.
From the final results as shown in Table 1 the condition of flexible pavement is still control and no maintenance
is needed. The deflection values in a range of excellent to fair as reperesented in Figure 2. That means the void that
appear are still minimal occurance of to damages such as transverse cracking, longitudinal cracking or alligator
cracking. D1 need more survey and observation because D1 is located at dangerous deflection level especially at
chainage 775 as shown in Figure 2. This is because, the reading for deflection level approximately 400 and above. It
was located at poor condition of subgrade as shown in Table 1. If the subgrade are too weak, the change for
pavement crack are too highs. The types of cracking started from transverse cracking, follow by longitudinal
cracking, alligator cracking and lastly are pothole. But, pothole can occur without follow the stages due to a very
weak subgrade. The maintenance should be carried out right after the testing. Further testing should be done to
control the bonding condition of pavement and subgrade. From the graph it shows that subgrade at D1 is weaker
than others and D4, D6, D8, and D9 because of deflection level is 100 mm. The large void will caused to crack and
pavement damage will occured.

TABLE 1. Style Subgrade Condition Due to Deflection Level [8]

Deflection level (mm) Condition of subgrade
0 – 100 Excellent
100 – 200 Very Good
200 – 300 Good
300 – 400 Fair
400 – 500 Poor
500 - 600 Very Poor

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, there are advantages of using FWD method to analyze the bonding state on flexible pavement
subjected to subgrade and also to investigate the pavement damage. From the result, the void can be detected by
plotting the graph such as deflection versus chainage, load versus deflection and deflection versus time. This entire
graph can be plotted extracting the data from FWD results.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The authors would like to acknowledge Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) for financial support in this
research work.

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 REFERENCES

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