Lessons Learned from Forensic Investigations of Premature Failures and Pavement Rehabilitation Strategies in Texas
March 16, 2018
Lessons Learned from Forensic Investigations of Premature Failures and Pavement Rehabilitation Strategies in Texas
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Presenter: Dar Hao Chen, Ph.D.
Abstract: Forensic investigations of pavement failures are critical, as the information gained can be used to identify the underlying causes of the problem, develop an optimal rehabilitation strategy, and to resolve construction disputes. Knowledge of the presence and extent of subsurface defects is critical to prevent the problem from reoccurring. The use of nondestructive testing techniques (NDT) such as GPR and Total Pavement Acceptance Device (TPAD) are well established within the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). For rehabilitation projects, it is critical to identify weak spots and then to apply localized repairs before placing a structural overlay. A NDT survey in coordination with augering, coring, and DCP testing can rapidly determine the extent and cause of the problem. This testing provides a comprehensive evaluation of subsurface conditions about the entire project. These techniques have been used to resolve hundreds of problematic projects and are applicable to a wide range of forensic studies of premature failures and pavement rehabilitation studies. Numerous case studies and lessons learned will be presented in this seminar.
Dr. Dar Hao Chen joined the Texas Transportation Institute (TxDOT) recently as a Research Associate. Dr. Chen was an APT System Manager and Pavement Engineer at the Texas Department of Transportation for the past 23 years. He has led hundreds of complicated and controversial forensic and rehabilitation studies. He has served as a panel member for the National Cooperative Highway Research Program and is the Editor in Chief for the Innovative Infrastructure Solutions, Springer and Associate Editor for the Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities, ASCE. Dr. Chen has published over 160 technical papers in various prestigious journals. He has been invited to speak at national and international conferences and has served on reviewing panels for national and regional organizations. Dr. Chen is co-chair and Secretary General for Geohunan International Conference 2009 & 2011, GeoHubei 2014, GeoChina 2016 and GeoChina 2018 International Conferences.
