Deflection-Based Approach For Flexible Pavement Design In Thailand

Abstract: The Department of Highways (DOH), Thailand, has adopted both empirical and mechanistic approaches for flexible pavement analysis and design. Recently, the deflection-based design approach has been comprehensively reviewed by the DOH for the possible adoption of national design standards and practices. One of the key reasons is that Thailand’s road authorities, i.e., the DOH and the Department of Rural Roads (DRR), have considered the falling weight deflectometer (FWD) for the new construction and rehabilitation of road pavements. In addition, the FWD is widely accepted as the non-destructive test for deflection measurement and structural capacity evaluation. Ultimately, the implication of FWD deflections for in-house pavement analysis and design shall be developed and proposed to Thailand’s road authorities. Therefore, this study presents the deflection-based approach of flexible pavement design in Thailand. The FWD and a standard Thai truck were selected as the main loading applications in this study. A typical FWD loading stress of 700–800 kPa was practically adopted by the DOH and compared with a standard 10-wheel 25-ton truck with a tandem axle-dual wheel configuration with a tire pressure of 690 kPa. The layered elastic analysis was performed to calculate the pavement responses. The results suggest that the flexible pavement design based on a deflection-based approach is simple, practical, and conservative.

Keywords: civil infrastructure systems; management humanistic approach; smart city; sustainability;
5‑dimensional model; BIM‑CIM; digital twin; Peru

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Abstract: Industrial secondary products (e.g., fly ash, blast furnace slag, and silica fume) have found extensive application as alternative construction materials in conventional manufacturing methods to reduce carbon emissions due to cement usage and solve the waste management problem. To date, additive manufacturing or 3D printing has been massively developed for every material, including cement-based materials. Some possibilities have arisen to incorporate industrial wastes in cement mixtures in 3D printing applications. However, a comprehensive study about fly ash (FA), ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBFS), and silica fume (SF) usage in 3D-printed materials needs to be conducted. This paper shows that some aspects of 3D printing, such as printability, buildability, and rheological properties, need to be considered, and waste materials affect these fresh mixture properties. Applying waste materials as supplementary cementitious materials also gives different mechanical properties and durability performances. Furthermore, the environmental and economic benefits of 3D-printed and conventional materials are compared. The results show that 3D printing methods can enhance the environmental and economic benefits while maintaining the performance of materials created using traditional methods. Studying industrial waste application in 3D printing has become a promising way to develop sustainable materials in this digitalization era.

Keywords: fly ash; blast furnace slag; silica fume; 3D printing

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Abstract: Over the next decades, people will continue moving to urban areas all over the world, increasing infrastructure needs to satisfy economic, environmental, and social demands. The connection between civil urban infrastructure and smart cities is strong due to the common goal of fulfilling public service demands. Infrastructure management contributes to the development, evolution, and sustainability of smart cities. The main problem with traditional approaches to the development, evolution, and sustainability of smart cities is the lack of a holistic, integrated vision of infrastructure management. The main objective of this research is to introduce an infrastructure management humanistic approach with a smart city conceptual model that also considers an educational perspective. A mixed research methodology that combines quantitative and qualitative approaches was used, applying inductive‑deductive tools. The paper concludes with the development of an infrastructure management framework for smart cities with five dimensions: (1) Environmental, (2) financial‑economic, (3) political‑governance, (4) social‑people, and (5) technological. Two case studies for the cities of Lima and Piura in Perú illustrate how to incorporate this framework into practice. The research products are relevant because they foster an inclusive better quality of life for all citizens by preserving civil infrastructure systems.

Keywords: civil infrastructure systems; management humanistic approach; smart city; sustainability;
5‑dimensional model; BIM‑CIM; digital twin; Peru

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Please note: This text is an abstract/summary. The complete original paper is available for download via the links at the bottom of this page.

Interstate 80 (I-80) in California faces severe concrete pavement wear due to heavy truck traffic and winter tire chain use, especially through the Sierra Nevada mountain range. This damage, called “wear depth,” differs from typical asphalt rutting, and has been difficult to control with previous repair methods.

In 2023, Caltrans initiated a pilot project near Donner Summit to evaluate polyester polymer concrete (PPC) inlays as a more durable pavement solution for high-wear conditions. These resin-based materials offer high strength, rapid curing, and strong resistance to cracking and extreme weather, making them well-suited for extending concrete pavement life without full reconstruction.

The project consists of multiple test sections, including control sections built with standard materials and experimental sections incorporating alternative formulations. The experimental approaches included the use of bauxite aggregate (selected for its superior hardness and finer aggregate size) blended with standard polyester resin, as well as an epoxy-based material known as Fastrac HPC. Data collection measured pavement wear depth using Face Dipstick Profiler

Please note: This text is an abstract/summary. The complete original newsletter is available for download via the links at the bottom of this page.