Pavement Testing Facility
Overview
The Pavement Testing Facility (PTF) is used to rapidly collect data on
pavement performance under conditions in which axle loading and climatic
conditions are controlled. This laboratory is also used to study the complex
interactions between pavement structures, construction materials and axle loads.
The primary objective of PTF is to develop and verify new specifications,
designs, and test procedures.
PTF is used by pavement and highway research engineers to evaluate the
durability of both new and existing pavement materials developed to provide
smoother and more cost-effective highway systems. PTF has two Accelerated
Loading Facility (ALF) machines that run tests on alternative pavement
designs (structures or materials) or on identical pavement designs but in
alternative loading configurations (e.g., by varying tire pressure or axle
loading). Each machine is capable of applying an average of 35,000 axle passes
per week at a half-axle load ranging from 44 to 100 kN (10,000 to 22,000 lbf);
PTF has space for 24 full-scale test sections, each 14 meters by 4 meters.
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