SASW testing of asphaltic pavement by dropping steel balls

A number of spectral analysis of surface waves tests were performed on asphaltic concrete pavement. These tests were performed by dropping steel balls on the pavement surface for different combinations of source to first receiver distance and receiver spacing. Four different values of ball's diameter, namely, 25·4 mm, 38·1 mm, 50·8 mm, and 76·2 mm, were used. The height of fall of the balls was varied from 0·25 m to 0·75 m. With an increase in diameter and height of fall of the ball, the maximum wavelength, up to which the shear wave velocity profile can be predicted, increases continuously. The increase in the values of diameter and height of fall of the ball also leads to a nominal increase in the minimum value of wavelength. The results presented in this paper would be useful for providing guidelines for deciding the height of fall of the balls based on the required exploration zone of the pavement.