Uso do simulador de tráfego LWT para análise de solos para vias não pavimentadas

Abstract

Unpaved roads represent a large part of the road network in Brazil and are of great importance in the flow of agricultural products and access from rural to urban areas, so it is essential that they are in good safety and traffic conditions. Thus, as the thought of paving is unfeasible due to the extension of existing roads, the alternative is to look for a way to predict how the soil will behave over the useful life of the road. Therefore, this work presents the evaluation of an aspiring methodology for the use of the LWT (Loaded Wheel Tester) equipment in the analysis of the predicted behavior of soils used as coating of unpaved roads. The soils studied, which were properly prepared, come from three regions close to the municipality of Alegrete-RS. The equipment is standardized to be used in the evaluation of the effect of compaction and the characteristics of deformation of layers of asphalt microcoating mixtures. Thus, we sought to evaluate the performance of the LWT simulator, along with the necessary adaptations to test specimens, thus providing a way to comparatively study the performance of soils, simulating a traffic condition in the field. The study concluded that the equipment applies a load above the ideal for the study of soils, but by making adjustments it is possible to use the equipment for the analysis of soil behavior.