Impact of tire and traffic parameters on water pressure in pavement

It is generally believed that, irrespective of pavement type, the water on the pavement surface, water buildup in the internal voids, and water pressure through cracks due to traffic action play a significant role in the functional and structural failure of the pavement. Although extensive studies on water-related material degradation have been conducted in the last 50 years, research on measuring water pressure due to dynamic action of load and its impact on pavement performance is very limited. The influence of tire characteristics on asphalt surfaces is also very limited. This study attempts to address the impact of water and tire parameters in the pavement subjected to dynamic loading. The idealized pavement consists of a 100-mm concrete slab with a 2-mm continuous fissure. The concrete pavement was overlaid with a 20-mm semipermeable asphalt surface to evaluate the influence of asphalt surfaces on the water pressure. The slabs were submerged with 2- and 4-mm water and were subjected to 5- and 10-kN loads applied at 1, 5, 10, and 15 Hz. The loading plate was designed to simulate new and partly worn tires with a square and a square with a channel pattern with up to 8-mm thickness to represent tread characteristics. It was found that dynamic water pressure increases significantly when high-frequency loading is combined with a square type of tread, and water is trapped inside the groove, which generates pumping action. The water pressure also increases with thread thickness. Load magnitude and depth of surface water have a marginal impact on the water pressure in the pavement.