Abstract
PURPOSES : The objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a geogrid reinforced subbase of permeable flexible pavement structures with respect to permanent deformation. METHODS : Experimental trials employing a repeated triaxial load test scheme were conducted for both a geogrid reinforced subbase material and a control specimen to obtain the permanent deformation properties based on the VESYS model. Along with this, a finite element-based numerical analysis was conducted to predict pavement performance with respect to the rutting model incorporated into the analysis. RESULTSAND CONCLUSIONS : The results of the experimental study reveal that the geogrid reinforcement seems to be effective in mitigating permanent deformation of the subbase material. The permanent deformation was mostly achieved in the early stages of loading and then rapidly reached equilibrium as the number of load applications increased. The ultimate permanent deformation due to the geogrid reinforcement was about 1.5 times less than that of the control specimen. Numerical analysis showed that the permeable, flexible pavement structure with the geogrid reinforced subbase also exhibits less development of rutting throughout the service life. This reduction in rutting led to a 20% decrease in thickness of the subbase layer, which might be beneficial to reduce construction costs unless the structural adequacy is not ensured. In the near future, further verification must be conducted, both experimentally and numerically, to support these findings.