OBJECTIVES : The objective of this research is to determine the integrity of pavement structures for areas where voids exist. Furthermore, we conducted the study of voided-area analysis and remaining life prediction for pavement structures using finite element method. METHODS : To determine the remaining life of the existing voided areas under asphalt concrete pavements, field and falling weight deflectometer (FWD) tests were conducted. Comparison methods were used to have better accuracy in the finite element method (FEM) analysis compared to the measured surface displacements due to the loaded trucks. In addition, the modeled FEM used in this study was compared with well-known software programs. RESULTS : The results show that a good agreement on the analyzed and measured displacements can be obtained through comparisons of the surface displacement due to loaded trucks. Furthermore, the modeled FEM program was compared with the available pavement-structure software programs, resulting in the same values of tensile strains in terms of the thickness of asphalt concrete layers. CONCLUSIONS: The study, which is related to voided-area analysis and remaining life prediction using FEM for pavement structures, was successfully conducted based on the comparison between our methods and the sinkhole grade used in Japan.

PURPOSES : Nowadays, cavity phenomena occur increasingly in pavement layers of downtown areas. This leads to an increment in the number of potholes, sinkholes, and other failure on the road. A loss of earth and sand from the pavement plays a key role in the occurrence of cavities, and, hence, a structural-performance evaluation of the pavement is essential. METHODS: The structural performance was evaluated via finite-element analysis using KPRP and KICTPAVE. KPRP was developed in order to formulate a Korean pavement design guide, which is based on a mechanical-empirical pavement design guide (M-EPDG). RESULTS: Installation of the anti-freezing layer yielded a fatigue crack, permanent deformation, and international roughness index (IRI) of 13%, 0.7 cm, and 3.0 m/km, respectively, as determined from the performance analysis conducted via KPRP. These values satisfy the design standards (fatigue crack: 20%, permanent deformation: 1.3 cm, IRI: 3.5 m/km). The results of FEM, using KICTPAVE, are shown in Figures 8~12 and Tables 3~5. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the performance analysis (conducted via KPRP) satisfy the design standards, even if the thickness of the anti-freezing layer is not considered. The corresponding values (i.e., 13%, 0.7 cm, and 3.0 m/km) are obtained for all conditions under which this layer is applied. Furthermore, the stress and strain on the interlayer between the sub-grade and the anti-freezing layer decrease gradually with increasing thickness of the anti-freezing layer. In contrast, the strain on the interlayer between the sub-base and the anti-freezing layer increases gradually with this increase in thickness.