Modeling test rolling on cohesive subgrades

Test rolling is a quality assessment technique performed on road construction materials to verify consistency prior to paving. In this test, the depth to which the wheels of a heavy vehicle penetrate the material is used as a measure of quality. Current test rolling specifications are based largely on empirical data. In this paper, theoretical models are presented for the case of a test roller on cohesive soil which may be used to evaluate the effects of soil properties, wheel geometry, and wheel load on wheel penetration depth. The case of a towed wheel is considered. An approximate analytic approach premised on a three-dimensional bearing capacity formulation is presented for indentation and steady-state rolling of rigid wheels. The finite element code ABAQUS is used to perform three-dimensional simulation and validate the analytic approach. Theoretical predictions are compared to experimental data, and reasonable agreement is found.