This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles

for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

Designation: E2583 − 07 (Reapproved 2020)

Standard Test Method for

Measuring Deflections with a Light Weight Deflectometer
(LWD)1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E2583; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

1. Scope 2.2 Other Standards:3

1.1 This test method covers the determination of deflections FHWA-HRT-06-132 Version 4.1 Long-Term Pavement Per-
of paved and unpaved surfaces with a Light Weight Deflecto- formance Program Manual for Falling Weight Deflecto-
meter (LWD). This device is also referred to as a Portable meter Measurements
Falling-Weight Deflectometer (PFWD). The LWD is 3. Summary of Test Method
lightweight, portable, and generally used for testing unbound
pavement layers. The deflections measured using an LWD can 3.1 This test method is a type of plate-bearing test. The load
be used to determine the stiffness of bound and unbound is a force pulse generated by a falling weight (mass) dropped
pavement surfaces using appropriate back or forward calcula- on a buffer system that transmits the load pulse through a plate
tion analysis techniques. resting on the material to be tested. The test apparatus may be
hand held or moved around with a dolly-type device.
1.2 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as
standard. The values given in parentheses are for information 3.2 The weight is raised to the height that, when dropped,
only. will impart the desired force pulse. The weight is dropped and
the resulting vertical movement or deflection of the surface is
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the measured using suitable instrumentation. Multiple tests at the
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the same drop height (different heights are optional) may be
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro- performed at the same location.
priate safety, health, and environmental practices and deter-
mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. 3.3 The peak deflection resulting from the force pulse at
1.4 This international standard was developed in accor- each location is recorded in micrometres, millimetres, mils, or
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard- inches, as appropriate.
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the 3.4 The peak force imparted by the falling weight is
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom- recorded as the force in kN or lbf, or as the mean stress (the
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical force divided by the load plate area) in kN/m2 (kPa) or psi, as
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee. appropriate.

2. Referenced Documents 4. Significance and Use

2.1 ASTM Standards: 2 4.1 This test method covers the determination of surface
D2487 Practice for Classification of Soils for Engineering deflections as a result of the application of an impulse load. The
Purposes (Unified Soil Classification System) resulting deflections are measured at the center of the applied
D4695 Guide for General Pavement Deflection Measure- load and may also be measured at various distances away from
ments the load. Deflections may be either correlated directly to
pavement performance or used to determine in-situ material
characteristics of the pavement layers. Some uses of data
include quality control and quality assurance of compacted
1
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E17 on Vehicle layers, structural evaluation of load-carrying capacity, and
- Pavement Systems and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E17.41 on
Pavement Testing and Evaluation. determination of thickness requirements for highway and
Current edition approved Nov. 1, 2020. Published November 2020. Originally airfield pavements (see Guide D4695).
approved in 2007. Last previous edition approved in 2015 as E2583 – 07 (2015).
DOI: 10.1520/E2583-07R20. NOTE 1—Since pavement and subgrade materials may be stress
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
contact ASTM Customer Service at [email protected]. For Annual Book of ASTM
3
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on Available from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), 1200 New
the ASTM website. Jersey Ave., SE Washington, DC 20590.

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 E2583 − 07 (2020)
dependent, care must be taken when analyzing LWD test data on unbound weights, thus requiring the operator/recorder to keep his/her
materials so that the applied stress will closely match the stress value back straight, lifting with the leg muscles. Likewise, the
applied by the design wheel load at the pavement surface.
NOTE 2—The volume of the pavement and subgrade materials affected
operator/recorder should take care that his/her hands or ex-
by the load is a function of the magnitude of the load. Therefore, care must tremities are not positioned beneath the lifted weight or loading
be taken when analyzing the results, since the data obtained by the LWD plate, to avoid injury when the weight is falling.
may be obtained from a smaller volume of the unbound materials than
under the influence of a heavy moving wheel load at the pavement surface. 7. Calibration
5. Apparatus 7.1 Force-Generating Device—Prior to load and deflection
5.1 Instrument System, conforming to the following general sensor calibration, precondition the device by dropping the
requirements: weight at least five times and checking the relative difference
5.2 Instruments Exposed to the Elements, shall be operable in each peak load level. Peak load levels measured by the load
in the temperature range of –10 to 50 °C (10 to 120 °F) and cell shall not vary from each other more than 63 %. If the
shall tolerate relatively high humidity, rain or spray, and all variation exceeds this tolerance, the height of the drop,
other adverse conditions such as dust, shock, or vibrations that cleanliness of the track, along with any springs or rubber pads
may normally be encountered. that are used to condition the load, shall be checked. Improp-
erly operating parts shall be replaced or repaired prior to
5.3 Force-Generating Device, (a falling weight) with a calibration to ensure that the horizontal and shear forces are
guide system. The force-generating device shall be capable of minimized.
being raised to a predetermined height and dropped. The
resulting force pulse transmitted to the pavement shall be 7.2 Load Calibration Platform—Follow the manufacturer’s
capable of providing a half-sine or haversine shaped load recommendations for load cell calibration since several types
pulse, with a time of loading of between 20 and 40 msecs, and of these devices are commercially available.
shall be reproducible within the requirements of 7.1. 7.3 Deflection Sensors—Calibrate sensors at least once per
5.4 Falling Weight, designed to operate with negligible year or in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommenda-
friction or resistance. tions.
5.5 Load Plate, capable of an approximately uniform dis- 8. Signal Conditioning and Recorder System
tribution of the impulse load on the surface. The instrument
shall be suitably constructed to allow pavement deflection 8.1 All signal conditioning and recording equipment shall
measurements at the center of the point of impact, through a allow deflection measurements to be displayed and stored with
hole in the center of the load plate. a resolution of 61 µm (60.04 mils) or less.
5.6 Deflection Sensor(s), capable of measuring the maxi- 8.2 The peak load and deflection measurements shall be
mum vertical movement and mounted in such a manner as to recorded within a time period or measurement window of
minimize angular rotation with respect to its measuring plane 60 ms or longer while still adhering to the precision and bias
at the maximum expected movement. The number and spacing requirements shown in Section 10.
of the sensors is optional and will depend upon the purpose of 8.3 Peak load measurements shall be displayed and stored
the test and the pavement layer characteristics. Sensors may be with a resolution of 60.1 kN or less if using SI units, or
of several types such as displacement transducers, velocity 610 lbf or less if using U.S. customary units, or an equivalent
transducers, or accelerometers. quantity if the load is expressed as mean stress depending on
5.7 Data Processing and Storage System—Load and deflec- the plate radius.
tion data shall be displayed and recorded. Supporting informa-
tion such as air temperature, surface temperature, distance 9. Procedure
measurements, and identification data for each test point may 9.1 Position the instrument over the desired test point. The
be recorded either automatically or manually. test surface shall be as clean and smooth as possible with loose
5.8 Load Cell—A load cell shall be used to measure the granules and protruding material removed. For gravel surfaces,
applied load of each impact. It shall be placed in a position to it is recommended that a thin layer of fine sand be placed over
minimize the mass between the load cell and the surface. The the test point. This helps in obtaining uniform contact between
load cell shall be positioned in such a way that it does not the load plate and the surface. A suitable rubber pad may be
restrict the ability to obtain deflection measurements under the used for improving the load distribution.
center of the load plate. The load cell shall be water resistant 9.2 Place the loading plate and the sensors to ensure they are
and shall be resistant to mechanical shocks from impacts resting on a firm and stable test surface.
during testing or traveling.
9.3 Raise the falling weight to the desired height and allow
5.9 LWD Size, shall be small enough to be considered it to fall freely.
portable, i.e. not requiring a vehicle or trailer for transport.
9.4 Record the resulting peak surface deflection(s) and the
6. Hazards peak load.
6.1 Injury can occur when elevating and dropping the 9.5 Perform at least two falling weight sequences (9.3) and
falling weight. Some LWDs have relatively heavy falling compare the results. If the difference is greater than 63 % for

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 E2583 − 07 (2020)
any sensor, note the variability in the report. Additional tests accuracy (precision and bias) as well as the load cell and sensor mounting
may be run at the same or at different load levels. requirements of this test method cannot be met. One or more of the
NOTE 3—It may be advantageous to use the first one or two drops for following LWD features can lead to this conclusion: (1) the LWD is not
seating and use the subsequent drops for analysis. equipped with a load-measuring device (load cell); (2) the LWD measures
the deflection of the load plate rather than the deflection of the surface
under test through a hole in the center of the load plate; (3) the LWD uses
10. Precision and Bias a sensor (velocity transducer or accelerometer) that is not linear down to
10.1 Equipment Precision—The precision requirement for zero Hz or is not processed using a Fourier transform analysis or
the deflection sensors is 62 µm (0.08 mils). The precision equivalent.
NOTE 5—For the LWD devices referred to in Note 4, the approximate
requirement for the load cell is 60.1 kN (22 lbf) or better. surface or composite modulus of the tested layer has been estimated to lie
10.2 Equipment Bias—The bias requirement for both the between 0.5 and 0.75 times the composite modulus calculated using an
deflection sensors and the load cell is 62 % or better. LWD device that meets the precision and bias requirements of this test
method. A separate test method is being developed to cover this type of
10.3 Between Device and Test Point Reproducibility—The LWD device.
single operator, single equipment coefficient of variation of the
test method for typical field conditions is 10 to 20 % for 11. Keywords
GM/GC/GP soils, 15 to 35 % for SW/SM/SP soils, and 40 to 11.1 deflection surveys; deflection testing; falling weight
60 % for ML/CL soils (see Practice D2487). The between deflectometer (FWD); light weight deflectometer (LWD); im-
device reproducibility of the test method for typical conditions pulse deflection testing; load-deflection testing; nondestructive
is being determined and will be available on or before testing (NDT); pavement deflection; pavement testing; pave-
December 2009. ment layer modulus; pavement layer stiffness; portable falling-
NOTE 4—Some LWD devices are designed and equipped such that the weight deflectometer (PFWD)

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