Skip to main content

Dynatest improves its falling weight deflectometer

The pavement engineering firm Dynatest has unveiled its new, Fast Falling Weight Deflectometer (FastFWD). The FastFWD enable users to collect pavement structural data faster than ever before.
January 6, 2017 Read time: 2 mins

The pavement engineering firm 2597 Dynatest has unveiled its new, Fast Falling Weight Deflectometer (FastFWD). The FastFWD enable users to collect pavement structural data faster than ever before.

Dynatest said its FastFWD Model 8012, which was on display at the Transportation Research Board annual meeting in Washington DC this past January, is five times faster than the previous model.

The FastFWD Model 8012 collects 75% more test points per hour.  This means that it can have approximately 45% less traffic exposure. The previous FWD Model 8000 is upgradable to the FastFWD 8012 specification.

The FastFWD patented electro-mechanical system removes the use of hydraulics, making onsite maintenance easy as well as reducing overall maintenance and service costs  However, it has the same sensor setup and user interface as previous FWD models so no major training of operators is needed. The FastFWD is available as a trailer- or truck-mounted version and meets all FWD standards worldwide.

The FastFWD applies a dynamic load that simulates the loading of a moving wheel. The pavement response is analysed with Dynatest's ELMOD (Evaluation of Layer Moduli and Overlay Design) software to determine the elastic moduli, stresses and strains of each modelled layer. ELMOD reports the weakest layer of failure, residual life and determines the optimum rehabilitation alternatives.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Fugro uses Traffic Speed Deflectometer scans for Highways England
    November 14, 2016
    Fugro has started scanning structural pavement condition data from lane 2 using Highways England’s Traffic Speed Deflectometer (TSD). This is the first time for such scanning as part of the routine network-wide survey of England’s strategic roads, according to Fugro. The global asset integrity specialist has been carrying out Traffic Speed Structural Surveys (TRASS) since autumn 2014 under a 3-year contract (TRASS 3) - Highways England’s largest ever outsourced contract for pavement structural condit
  • Transtec leads pavement design for Houston’s SH 249 Extension
    February 12, 2020
    Transtec chosen for pavement design on US$520 million Houston project
  • Automated testing is safer, cheaper and more thorough
    May 10, 2019
    New tests for cracking and rutting are easy to perform, use existing equipment and work well on mixes with different binders and recycled content - Kristina Smith writes Researchers at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) have developed new tests for cracking and rutting, designed to be quick and easy to carry out, using existing laboratory equipment. The most advanced of these is the IDEAL Cracking Test (IDEAL-CT), which could be appearing in specifications in some of the US states in around six
  • Road Markings to reduce fatal wrong-way driving
    October 31, 2012
    The latest road marking systems have been used to reduce potentially fatal wrong-way driving and promote the recent EURO 2012 football tournament in Poland and Ukraine. Guy Woodford reports According to statistics quoted by leading road marking firm Geveko, a total of 1,753 people were killed in the United States in wrong-way driving accidents from1996-2000. Wrong-way driving is also a significant issue across Europe and other parts of the world. Work to combat the potentially lethal activity took place re