Pavement Structures

Rigid Structure (One that does not move due to Loading)

An example of a rigid pavement is a concrete pavement. When a

load is applied it is taken entirely by the total rectangular mass
of the concrete.

Concrete Pavements Consist of:

1. Concrete layer (Rigid)- provides a strong and durable surface for
direct contact with wheel loading.
2. Open Graded Drainage Layer- highly permeable layer with similar
properties to the granular base that provides the structure with
drainage. This layer prevent surface runoff from rain, snow etc.
from entering the surface layer.
3. Granular Base- this is the load bearing material that provides the
pavement above with a lot of strength
4. Granular Subbase- also load bearing provides the overall
foundation structure with strength and transfers the lads to the
subgrade
5. Subgrade- the preexisting soil that is on the ground that must be
compacted such that the overlying pavement structure can be
laid.
Example Loading: (Rigid)

Flexible Structure (One that slight deflects loads)

An example of a flexible structure is a pavement structure that

uses asphaltic concrete instead of Plain concrete.

AC structure consist of:

1. Asphalt Layer- (flexible) provides a wearing layer that must be
durable for direct contact with the traffic.
2. Asphalt Binder- a layer (base coat) that will later supply a better
cohesive layer that the topcoat will mesh with.
3. Open Graded Drainage Layer- highly permeable layer with similar
properties to the granular base that provides the structure with
drainage. This layer prevent surface runoff from rain, snow etc.
from entering the surface layer.
4. Granular Base- this is the load bearing material that provides the
pavement above with a lot of strength
5. Granular Subbase- also load bearing provides the overall
foundation structure with strength and transfers the lads to the
subgrade
6. Subgrade- the preexisting soil that is on the ground that must be
compacted such that the overlying pavement structure can be
laid.

Example Loading:

Inverted Pavements

this is a technique that was developed to reduce the amount of

asphalt needed but to increase the amount of base in the
design.

Inverted Pavements include:

1. Hot mix asphalt thin layer (about 2-4 inches in depth)
2. THICK Unstabilized Base- load bearing
3. THICK Cement treated subbase- load bearing
4. Subgrade- stress levels are reduced on the subgrade

Granular Base Materials

1. Must Be Strong

Resist degradation (change in quality/ grade) during both

construction and in service.
If materials are not strong then the can degrade which will
change various properties such as strength and drainage.

2. Must have good texture and shape

Angular shape is good for both drainage (more voids) and better
for shear strengths. Rocks are more prone to interlock in each
other

Rough texture provides a increase in shear strength as the rocks

are less likely to slide or shear against each other.

3. Resist to Freeze and Thaw

frost susceptible aggregates

4. Petrographic Study

determine weak materials

clay lumps
minerals affecting drainage

5. Non-plastic fine (CLAY)

clay is weak and sucks up water and retains- horrible for

drainage

Granular Base Functions

Carries most of the load

Provides direct support to the pavement layer
transfers load to subbase
MUST RESIST SHEAR FAILURE (RUTTING- FLEXIBLE PAVEMENTS)
provides frost protection and lateral drainage

SIDE NOTE: UNPAVED ROADS

1. Highly Stable- dense graded base
2. Surface water cant get to base- the base cannot get wet because
it may become weak and could be very damaging to the
pavement structure. Therefore we must use more fine and
OPTIMUM amounts of clay such that water can be absorbed at
the surface.
3. Abrasion Resistant- strong aggregates/more fines for less rough
grinding between aggregates.

4. Low cost- available aggregates

5. Easy to maintain 20mm stones that can be leveled off time to
time.

Granular Subbase

Provides a working platform the construction

Provides strength support to the upper layers and transfers the
loads down to the subgrade
Provides drainage and frost protection
Separates base from subgrade (minimize intrusion of fines which
could reduce the CBR)

Recycles Material for use in Subbase and Base

Concrete- recycled and crushed

RAP-recycled asphalt pavement

Glass/ ceramics

Full Depth Reclamation- deteriorating asphalt and base coat can

be pulverized and mixed with cement and water. The resultant
makes a durable base layer for asphalt or concrete. (done right
on the job)
Effects of Water in the Bases

How does water get in?

1. Surface Runoff- seeps through the cracks of pavement and can
also get in from the shoulders on each side of the road

2. Groundwater- might be a high water table that can have capillary

rise
3. Melt water from snow or Ice senses

What can happen when our Bases are saturated?

Deflections- in both rigid and flexible pavements when the bases

are saturated they are subject to hydrostatic pressures(pressures
induced by the water under its own weight) also, the friction
between the material is lost and the bases can be subject to
deflections.

Pumping- as water builds up beneath a pavement surface it will

want to undergo a process called pumping. The loading and
unloading characteristics of a car coming and going on a
pavement surface creates a suction like rebound that forces the
water to either a) move under the pavement or b) move up
towards the surface causing cracking.

Infiltration of Fines- the infiltration of fines is horrible for the

bases in a pavement structure. The reason for this is that the fine
will clog the drainage voids in the bases. We must protect the
bases from subgrade soils because the soils will weaken, make
less permeable, cause deflection and increase capillary rise.

Filter CRITERIA:

Controlling the effect of Water

1. Control the Pavement surface

Make it impermeable by it materials

Minimize infiltration

2. Control the Drainage

Crown the roads to send water to sewers

Seal the shoulders and cover the edges

3. Control the environments

Slope protection (riprap)

Dont allow sloping hills near the road to drain on the road
INCEPTOR SEWERS

4. Maintain

Seal holes
Patch cracks
Maintain clean drainage ditches and paths