Non-Destructive Evaluation of a Reinforced Concrete Road by the SASW Method

The Spectral-Analysis-of-Surface-Waves (SASW) method is a non-destructive seismic method which has been used in situ to determine the elastic moduli of soils and pavements at low level of strain and the variation of these moduli with depth. The test is based on the dispersion of Rayleigh-waves which means that Rayleigh waves of different wavelengths propagate at relatively different depths. If the medium of propagation is vertically inhomogeneous, then the different wavelengths propagate at different phase velocities. This variation of phase velocity with wavelength is called a dispersion curve and is related to the structural stiffness of the medium of wave propagation. This paper presents the results of an evaluation of the stiffness of every construction phase of a reinforced concrete road, starting with the embankment, surface compaction, foundation and top layers.