Abstract
Approximate formulas for calculating the pavement slab deflections on both Winkler and elastic solid subgrades are presented on the basis of thin elastic slab theory. The back-calculation process for estimating pavement structural parameters can be implemented by adopting these formulas. The validity of the procedures proposed in this paper was demonstrated by examples. The subgrade idealization influences the result of back-calculations; that is, the elastic modulus of pavement slab back-calculated in the Winkler subgrade idealization case was higher than that in the elastic solid subgrade idealization case for the same deflection basin.
