Evaluating pavement structural benefits of lightweight cellular concrete

如果在路面结构中正确使用，轻质蜂窝混凝土(LCC)可以提供潜在的结构、功能、施工、性能和成本效益。作为软弱土地基上的一种替代路基支撑，LCC已被设置为路面基层材料，以提供更稳定和更坚固的基础。它已经在加拿大的几个路面路段进行了铺设，初步信息表明它可以改善路面性能。然而，缺乏量化路面结构中这一层性能的工程数据。目前也不清楚随着时间的推移，它的表现如何。这项建议旨在通过综合实地和实验室评估来量化LCC的绩效。有必要研究和量化在循环交通荷载作用下LCC的技术效益、强度、刚度和振动。为了优化LCC在路面工程中作为基层的使用，滑铁卢大学路面与运输技术中心(CPATT)和CEMATRIX(加拿大)公司正在合作调查使用CEMATRIXLC的路面结构效益。以下主要任务将是这项研究计划的一部分：使用各种LCC作为基层建造全尺寸仪表式路面路段，测量和评估冬季条件下的热性能，以及测量和量化减振的潜在效益。此外，研究还将开发使用LCC可以实现的路面结构数和潜在的路面层厚度节省。建立有限元模型，模拟和预测不同厚度的LCC路面在不同位置(深度)到基层的承载能力，最终得出LCC路面的准则，并提供典型的LCC路面设计，供加拿大使用。设计将考虑到不同的交通负荷和环境条件。

Lightweight Cellular Concrete (LCC) offers potential structural, functional, construction, performance and costbenefits if used correctly in a pavement structure. As an alternative roadbed support over weak soils, LCC hasbeen installed as pavement base material to provide a more stable and stronger foundation. It has been placedin a few pavement sections across Canada and preliminary information shows it can improve pavementperformance.However there is a lack of engineering data which quantifies the performance of this layer within the pavementstructure. It is also unclear how it performs over time. This proposal is directed at quantifying performancethrough an integrated field and laboratory evaluation where the LCC is evaluated. There is a need toinvestigate and quantify the technical benefits, strength, stiffness, and vibrations of the LCC under cyclic trafficloading. In order to optimize the use of LCC as base material in pavement engineering, the Centre forPavement and Transportation Technology (CPATT) at the University of Waterloo and the CEMATRIX(Canada) Inc. are collaborating to investigate the pavement structural benefits with the use of CEMATRIXLCC.The following major tasks will be part of this research program: build a full scale instrumented pavementsection with the use of various LCCs as base layers, instrument and evaluate thermal performance duringwinter conditions, and instrument and quantify potential benefits of dampening vibrations. In addition, theresearch will develop a pavement structure number and potential pavement layer thickness savings that can beachieved by using LCC. A finite element model will be built to simulate and predict the bearing capacities ofpavements with various thickness of LCC at various locations (depth) to the base, and finally guidelines forLCC pavement and provide typical pavement designs with LCC for the usage in Canada. The designs willaccount for varying traffic loading and environmental conditions.