FWD and GPR: A Closer Look at Technology in Pavement Design

In the pavement design and evaluation of pavement structure, two non-destructive tools may be used:

1. Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), and

2. Falling weight deflectometer (FWD)

GPR enables you to ‘see’ a clearer picture of what is happening beneath the surface by conducting an x-ray of the road. It is widely used for locating utility lines, monitoring pavement and runways, locating reinforcement bars, changes in layer thicknesses and voids, as well as moisture determination. This non-destructive testing is gaining more and more popularity among pavement engineers as it limits the number of destructive boreholes needed.

FWD allows structural evaluation. By applying a standard load and knowing something about the traffic, we can predict the remaining life in the pavement and hence what needs to be done if traffic patterns are to change or we need rehabilitation or reconstruction.

Please download the free brochures by filling out the quick form below. These brochures are usually given exclusively to our clients. These contain in-depth technical information and are a fantastic guide to the technology currently being used on the field.