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TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH RECORD 1536

Fiber Optics for Evaluation of Pavement

Reinforcement Materials in Resisting
Reflection Cracking
MOHAMED ABDEL-MOOTY, EL-HUSSEIN H. MOHAMED, AND JOSEPH HADDAD
A major maintenance problem of pavement is the reflection cracking of
pavement overlays at the location of joints and cracks in the underlayers. Pavement reinforcement materials (PRM) are used to reinforce the
asphalt concrete (AC) overlay to delay reflection cracking. Assessing
the effectiveness of PRM in limiting reflection cracking can be achieved
by direct measurement of strain distribution within the PRM and AC
overlay. A fiber-optic sensor is the only alternative that is compatible
with the fiberglass structure of the PRM used in this study and, therefore, is used to measure strain within the PRM. A program of investigation, developed at the Institute for Research in Construction of the
National Research Council Canada, aims at studying the state of stress
leading to joint opening in pavement layers and assessing the effectiveness of PRM in reducing such cracks through monitoring the performance of PRM using embedded fiber-optic strain sensors. The investigation involves both laboratory testing and long-term field monitoring
of instrumented road section. The instrumentation aspect of the laboratory evaluation of PRM effectiveness using embedded fiber-optic sensors is described. An instrumentation procedure is developed that
includes sensor mounting and embedding, mechanical protection, calibration, and data acquisition system. The performance of the developed
monitoring system in asphalt concrete pavement specimens is assessed
in controlled laboratory conditions.

Pavements continuously deteriorate under the combined effect of

repeated traffic and environmental loads. One of the major maintenance problems in asphalt concrete (AC) pavements is the reflection
cracking of pavement overlays at the location of joints and cracks in
the underlayers. In many cases, such cracks occur soon after the
placement of the overlay. Several techniques to minimize reflection
cracking have been tried with various levels of success or failure.
Those techniques include the use of fabrics, stress-relieving interlayers, crack-arresting interlayers, cracking and seating, sawing and
sealing, and geogrid reinforcement (13). Reinforcing the AC overlay with pavement reinforcement materials (PRM) made of fiberglass or polymers to reduce reflection cracking at joints is considered in this study. The PRM grid is typically placed between the old
pavement layer and the AC overlay.
Assessing the effectiveness of PRM in limiting reflection cracks
at joints can be achieved by monitoring its long-term performance
in the field. However, such a task is not easily accomplished because
of the difficulties encountered while attempting to control the large
number of variables that affect pavement cracking. Direct measurement of strain distribution within the PRM is needed to verify the
materials effectiveness and to quantify their contribution in reduc-

Institute for Research in Construction, National Research Council Canada,

Building M-20, Montreal Road Campus, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A OR6,
Canada.

ing and limiting joint opening caused by traffic loading and thermally induced stresses.
Instrumenting pavement reinforcement materials, however, is a
challenging task because of the many difficulties involved. The
PRMs considered in this study typically are made of fiberglass
strands in a grid structure coated with asphaltic resin. The grid structure carries only in-plane forces although it is flexible in the out-ofplane direction, which helps accommodate the deformation resulting from the harsh compaction process. The glass fiber strand
structure of the PRM, however, makes it impossible to attach conventional electrical strain gauges. A fiber-optic strain sensor is the
only alternative that is compatible with the PRM structure.
During the last decade, pavement instrumentation in general has
become an increasing research activity in major pavement research
centersparticularly in the United States and Canada (4). Pavement
instrumentation provides the required information to better explain
how pavements perform and evaluate new design, material, and
construction, and maintenance practice. The use of fiber-optic sensors in pavement materials, however, has been limited to a few
small-scale experimental studies. The concept of using a fiber-optic
polaremetric pressure sensor to measure stress distribution within
pavement layers was illustrated using small-scale cylindrical pavement samples that simulate the granular layers and AC surface (5).
Optical time domain reflectometry technique was used to measure
the Poissons ratio of asphalt emulsion aggregate mixture in cylindrical samples under static loads (6).
This program of investigation, developed at the Institute for
Research in Construction of the National Research Council Canada,
aims at studying the state of stress leading to joint opening in pavement layers and assessing the effectiveness of PRM in reducing such
cracks through monitoring their performance with embedded fiberoptic strain sensors. The investigation involves both laboratory testing of instrumented reinforced AC pavement specimens under simulated field conditions and long-term monitoring of an instrumented
road section in the regional municipality of Ottawa-Carleton. The
experimental data collected are analyzed to study the state of stress
leading to crack opening and to determine the effectiveness of PRM
in limiting cracking.
This paper focuses on the instrumentation aspect of the laboratory
evaluation of PRM effectiveness using embedded fiber-optic sensors. An instrumentation procedure is developed that includes sensor mounting and embedding, mechanical protection, calibration,
and data acquisition system. The performance of the developed
monitoring system in AC pavement specimens is assessed under
controlled laboratory conditions.
The paper outlines the instrumentation techniques and the calibration procedure used in this study. But first the description of the

Abdel-Mooty et al.

fiber-optic sensors used in this study and their principles of operation are presented, followed by a brief background of the joint cracking problem and the experimental program carried out in this study.

FIBER-OPTIC SENSORS

141

into two parts by the filter (I1), which is reflected back as a reference
beam, and I2, which propagates through the sensing cavity (gap) and
is reflected at the other end of the cavity. The intensity of this
reflected light (I2) is a function of the gap length and, through the
proper demodulation, provides the strain at the sensor location.
This type of sensor has been successfully used in measuring strain
on the surface of aircraft wings. However, embedment of the sensor
in construction material presents a number of challenges. Bending
of the sensing part, that is, the silica capillary, would affect the intensity of the reflected light (I2) and, consequently, the sensing accuracy. Therefore, the sensing part must remain straight for proper
strain readings. Another major challenge is the protection of the
embedded sensor and the leading fiber during AC casting and compaction. Different techniques to overcome these challenges were
tried and reported subsequently (8).

Optical fibers are primarily developed as signal transmitter in the

field of telecommunications. They are capable of high-speed transmission of a large amount of digital information over long distances,
thanks to their large bandwidth and minimal losses. Optical fibers
typically consist of layered cylinders of glass or plastic. The light
transmitting part of the optical fiber is made of a central core surrounded by concentric cladding. The outer diameter of the cladding
is in the range of 100 to 250 m. The core and cladding are made of
slightly different types of glass or plastic with different indexes of
refraction. The index of reflection of the core is greater than that of
the cladding. Light rays traveling in the core are continuously
reflected back into the core each time they are incident on the corecladding interface; thus they remain trapped in the core [Figure
1(a)].
The characteristics of the light waves, such as intensity, phase,
and polarization, can become sensitive to physical and mechanical
changes in the optical fiber due to external effects such as strain,
temperature, and pressure. These changes or modulation of the light
characteristics can be related to the external stress through proper
demodulation of the light signal. There are several modulation techniques (intensity, phase, polarization, wave length, and time domain
modulation to name just a few), each has its merits and drawbacks
(7 ). The principles of operation of the sensor used in this study are
briefly explained below.
The fiber-optic strain sensor used in this experiment is intensity
based, formed by inserting two optical fibers into a larger tube (silica capillary) as shown in Figure 1(b). The sensing cavity is formed
by the cleaved surfaces of the single-mode feed fiber and the short
auxiliary end fiber. The end of the feed fiber has a band-pass filter,
and the auxiliary fiber has a mirror. The incoming light is divided

Reflection cracking occurs in the AC overlay at locations of joints

and cracks in the underlying pavement layers. Such cracks result
from the relative vertical and horizontal movements of the two portions of the underlying slab forming the joint (Figure 2), with the
horizontal movement being more critical (1). Vertical differential
movements are caused by differential settlement of layers beneath
the asphalt surface as a result of traffic loads. Horizontal movements
(joint opening) occur as a result of contraction caused by thermal
cooling.
Vertical relative movements of the underlying slab induce shear
stresses and bending stresses in the overlay and tensile and shear
stresses between the two layers near the joint. Horizontal movements induce tensile stresses in the overlay and shear stresses (or
bond stresses) between the overlay and the underlying slab.
Repeated occurrences of such stresses cause fatigue cracking (fracture) of the overlay (9) as well as delamination or separation
between the two layers. Fiberglass geogrids are used in this investigation as PRM to reinforce the AC overlay and, thereby, delay the

FIGURE 1 Fiber-optics strain gauge: (a) basic structure of

optical fiber; (b) strain sensor.

FIGURE 2
overlay.

REFLECTION CRACKING

Reflection cracking of reinforced AC pavement

142

occurrence of reflection cracking. The PRM is placed between the

AC overlay and the underlying slab during construction (Figure 3).
As stated earlier, geogrids have high in-plane stiffness and high
tensile strength; however, they are extremely flexible in the out-ofplane direction. Therefore, they are expected to enhance the in-plane
strength of the pavement composition and resist joint opening provided that a complete bond exists between the geogrid and the surrounding AC matrix. Bond is mainly provided by adhesion between
the surface of the geogrid and the surrounding matrix and interlock
between the AC mixture and the openings of the grid. Monitoring
the strain distribution in the geogrid using fiber-optic sensors and
comparing it with analytically determined strain distribution in the
AC matrix provided the necessary information about the ability of
PRM in delaying cracking of the overlay.

EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM
The experimental program was developed to assess the effectiveness of the PRM in limiting reflection cracking at the joints. The
tested specimens composed of two AC layers with overall dimensions of 610- 3 305- 3 127-mm modeling AC overlay and underlying sections of the road (Figure 3). The lower slab is composed of
two portions, 305- 3 305- 3 63-mm AC each, cut from an existing
experimental road to form the joint. A 63-mm AC new overlay was
poured over the old layer and compacted in the laboratory using a
sidewalk roller. The geogrids were placed between the two layers
before the construction of the overlay.
The experimental setup used in this study simulated horizontal
and vertical movements of the underlying slab at the joint as a result
of traffic and thermal cooling. It consisted of a steel plate table with
two movable halves, 610 3 610 3 25 mm each. One half of the table
can move horizontally while the other half can move vertically. The
movements of the two halves of the tables are realized by hydraulic
actuators with force and displacement control. The two halves of the
table are mounted on a series of bearings that facilitate their movements. The table, hydraulic actuators, force and displacement transducers, and bearing arrangement are supported by a rigid steel frame
located in a temperature-controlled cold room. A detailed description of the testing facility can be found elsewhere (10).
The bottom surface of each slab specimen was glued onto two
steel plates, which in turn were fixed to the two halves of the testing

TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH RECORD 1536

table using bolts (Figure 3). This procedure facilitates the preparation of specimens without tying up the testing table.
Two different tests were chosen to simulate the critical field
conditions:
Test 1: Direct tension test at 210C to simulate thermal loading and
Test 2: Differential vertical movement (shear) at 210C to
simulate traffic loading.
The direct tension test was a quasi-static test carried out by applying a constant rate of horizontal displacement of 0.1 mm/min of one
half of the testing table. Horizontal displacement was applied until
failure of the specimen occurred. The direct tension test simulated
pavement contraction caused by thermal changes in the winter, and
it was carried out at 210C.
Evaluation of the pavement structure resistance to differential
vertical movements (shear) was carried out using a dynamic test that
simulated differential settlement of pavement layers as a result of
traffic loading. The test was carried out by applying cyclic vertical
movement of one half of the testing table relative to the other half.
The cyclic loading pattern was a Haversine wave. Each cycle
involves a 0.2-sec loading and a 1.8-sec no-loading period. The vertical displacement amplitude was 1.5 mm. Cyclic loading was continued until failure.
Each test was performed on two specimens for result reproducibility. Also two plain (unreinforced) specimens were tested in
each group as control samples for comparison. Horizontal movement, vertical movement, and horizontal force generated by the
hydraulic actuator were continuously monitored during testing. This
was in addition to recording the strain distribution within the AC
specimens and the PRM using embedded fiber-optic sensors and foil
strain gauges as described next.

INSTRUMENTATION TECHNIQUES
To assess the integrity of the reinforced pavement and the effectiveness of the PRM, strains were measured in the PRM, within the
thickness of the AC overlay, at the interface between the two layers
and on the surface of the overlay. Fiber-optic sensors were used to
measure the strain along the strong direction of the geogrid. Three
sensors were attached to the grid at the joint and 102 mm on each
side of the joint (Figure 4). Three foil strain gauges (described in a
later section) were embedded in the AC overlay near the fiber-optic
sensors to measure strain within the overlay. Surface foil strain
gauges were mounted on the surface of the overlay corresponding
to the fiber-optic sensor location. Techniques used for sensor installation and protection during construction are discussed along with
their calibrations.

Strain Measurement in Pavement Reinforcement

Material

FIGURE 3 Reinforced asphalt concrete sample mounted on

plates of testing table.

To quantitatively assess the reinforcing action of the PRM (geogrid)

in AC pavement, it is necessary to measure the strain distribution
within the grid. However, instrumenting the woven fiberglass PRM
coated with asphaltic resin involves a number of difficulties. Fiberoptic strain sensors must be firmly attached to the PRM using a high
modulus adhesive to effectively couple the strain in the fiberglass

Abdel-Mooty et al.

143

FIGURE 4

Data acquisition system.

grid to the sensor. Although the PRM structure can withstand the
harsh compaction process, optical fiber sensors and cables require
protection against construction damage. The durability of the
fiber-optic strain sensor under the effect of various loads resulting
from traffic and environment was assessed at the beginning of the
investigation.
The installation of the sensor is a fairly delicate process and must
be made with great care. The section of the grid that receives the
sensor was first cleaned thoroughly, removing all traces of the bitumen coating from the fiberglass. Bonding was achieved by embedding the optical fiber sensor in the fiberglass strand in an epoxytype resin that withstands temperature up to 200C. Proper curing
was then allowed, according to the manufacturers specifications.
The leading fiber of the sensor was placed on the finished surface

FIGURE 5

Calibration of fiber-optic strain sensor.

of the underlayer AC slab and protected by a heat-shrinkable

polymer tubing. Special attention was paid during AC placement
where the sensors and leading fibers were protected in part by
covering them with a mix of asphalt and fine aggregates (passing
sieve No. 4).
Pilot tests were conducted to verify the accuracy of the fiber-optic
sensors mounted on a geogrid strand. Grid sections containing three
strands with a fiber-optic strain sensor mounted on the middle one
were tested in direct quasi-static as well as dynamic tests with 10 Hz
of oscillating tension force. In each case, measurements were compared with those obtained with an extensometer attached to the grid
at the sensor location. Good correlation was obtained between the
fiber-optic sensor and the extensometer readings. Figure 5 shows
typical results for the quasi-static test.

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TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH RECORD 1536

Strain Measurement at Surface and Interface

Foil strain gauges were bonded to the surface of the old pavement
layer before compaction of the new layer. They were protected in
part by covering them with a mix of asphalt and fine aggregates
(passing sieve No. 4). When the samples were cool, foil strain
gauges were bonded to the upper surface of the sample.

DATA ACQUISITION
Data acquisition was provided by three different systems (Figure 4).
The first system gathered information from fiber-optic strain sensors. The second acquisition system recorded embedded and surface
foil strain gauge readings. The third system received information
from the loading cell and the displacement transducer controlling
the hydraulic actuators.
Synchronization of the three different data files generated during
the test was provided by hardware triggering of data capturing for
the three systems. Sampling begins a little before loading of the
sample starts. Coordinating sampling and recording was critical in
the dynamic test because of the high frequency of the loading cycles
and the short duration of the test. In the static test case, data files
were relatively easy to synchronize.

TYPICAL TEST RESULTS

The instrumentation procedure developed in this study, which
includes sensor mounting and embedding, mechanical protection,
calibration, and data acquisition system is reported in this paper. The
performance of the developed monitoring system in AC pavement
specimens was assessed in controlled laboratory conditions and
proved to be effective for the evaluation of PRM.
Assessing the effectiveness of PRM in limiting reflection joint
opening was achieved by direct measurement of strain distribution
in the PRM within the thickness of the AC overlay. Fiber-optic sensors are compatible with the fiberglass geogrid structure of the PRM
and, therefore, were used to measure strain within the PRM. Conventional strain gauges were embedded within AC overlay and
mounted on the surface. The gathered information was analyzed to
study the state of stresses leading to cracking and to quantify the
contribution of PRM in resisting cracking. The results were submitted to the regional municipality of Ottawa-Carleton (11). Typical
test results are discussed next.
Figure 6 shows a plot of a direct tension test described earlier.
Strains in PRM No. 1 were measured by fiber-optic sensors. The distribution of the measured strain with respect to the location of the
sensor agreed with the anticipated state of strain corresponding to
the induced displacement. The center sensor recorded the highest
strain value compared with those installed to the left and right of
joint location. The peak strain was achieved at peak load corresponding to a 1.4-mm displacement. The sample in question delaminated, causing the load that indicates the samples resistance to the
imposed displacement to fall substantially. Delamination between
the slabs that represent the existing pavement surface and the overlay deprived the composite section of resistance to the induced displacement offered by PRM. Figure 7 depicts a different commercial
product of PRM (PRM No. 2) where the bond between the overlay
and the underlying layer remained intact until fracture of AC at a
displacement of 6 mm. PRM continued to resist further opening of

FIGURE 6

Performance of reinforced samples.

the crack along the joint. The difference in the two products is the
type of bond between PRM and AC. PRM No. 1 depends on adhesive bond between PRM and asphalt concrete. PRM No. 2 depends
on the strength of the bond between the asphalt layers achieved by
the passage of the mix from the overlay through the PRM mesh
openings. Therefore, a wider opening in the mesh will promote this
type of adhesion. The achieved bond is a result of mechanical interlock between PRM and the compacted material from the overlay.
Detailed analysis of the performance of other PRM types is offered
elsewhere (11). A fiber-optic sensor proved invaluable in the assessment of the evaluated PRM performance under various configurations and loading conditions (temperature and rate of loading).
Figure 8 shows typical results of the differential vertical movement (shear) test conducted at 210C simulating the effect of traffic

FIGURE 7

Direct tension test results.

Abdel-Mooty et al.

145

information under the specified test conditions, and a significant

number of gauges failed before or during the test.
The second phase of the PRM project targets field evaluation of
plain and reinforced road sections. Fiber-optic strain sensors, similar to those described in this paper, will be installed, and the instrumented section will be exposed to actual traffic and environmental
conditions. The results will be published later.

REFERENCES

FIGURE 8

Differential vertical movement test results.

loading. The results are of a reinforced AC sample using PRM No.

1. The strain corresponding to continued cyclic loading peaked at
approximately 3,500 cycles, which is a state reached when the joint
in the lower layer reflects to a certain depth of the overlay dictated
by the extent of the imposed vertical deformation (1.5 mm in this
experiment). This transition stage could not be detected from the
load/cycles relationship shown in Figure 8. Various PRM types
demonstrated different levels of resistance (number of cycles to failure) to the test conditions related to traffic loading (11).
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Fiber-optic strain sensors proved to be an effective tool for evaluating the effectiveness of PRM. The compatibility of the sensor material with PRM has been the major factor behind the achieved effectiveness under controlled laboratory conditions. Data typical to
those presented in this paper provided a direct response to the questions posed by engineers about the deployment of PRM in AC pavements specially for road-widening applications. On the other hand,
foil strain gauges were less effective in providing the necessary

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Publication of this paper sponsored by Committee on Pavement Monitoring,
Evaluation, and Data Storage.