Tommy E.

Nantung PhD PE

Design and Construction of

LONG LIFE PAVEMENT

Introduction to Pavement

Roadmap to Presentation

Definition of Long Life Pavement

Why pavement failed
A little history of pavement
Type of pavement distresses
AASHTO 1993/1998 Pavement Design

Definition of Long Life Pavement

A Long-Life Pavement is defined as a
pavement
no significant deterioration will develop in the
foundations or the road base layers provided that
correct surface maintenance is carried out.

This definition implies that

all pavement layers, except the road surface layer
are considered as permanent pavement layers and
common distress mechanisms should, in principle,
be eliminated completely.

Introduction to pavement structure

A pavement is a structure composed of
structural elements, whose function is to
protect the natural subgrade and to carry the
traffic safety and economically.

Introduction to pavement structure

As a wheel passes:
Elastic deformations occur
Plastic deformations occur elastic deformations
may lead to fatigue
Plastic deformation deformations may lead to
excessive rutting.

Type of pavement based on structure

Rigid Pavement
A pavement structure of which the surface course
is made of Portland cement concrete

Flexible Pavement
A pavement structure of which the surface course
is made of asphaltic concrete, that maintains
intimate contact with and distributes loads to the
subbase or subgrade and depends upon aggregate
interlock, particle friction, and cohesion for
stability

The difference between pavement structure

The essential difference between Flexible
pavement and Rigid pavement is the manner
in which they distribute the load
Flexible pavement is one which can adjust its
position to the shape of the underlying layers
without sustaining significant damage.
Rigid pavement tend (work as slab) to distribute
the load over a relatively wide area of soil. Why?
(High modulus of elasticity)

Definitions
Pavement Section
A layered system designed to distribute
concentrated traffic loads to the subgrade.

Factors Affecting Pavement Performance

Environment
Maintenance
and Rehabilitation

Traffic

Design

Subgrade
Soil
Materials

Construction
Variability
3-10

A Little History of Pavement Performance

Roman Roads

Telford Road

Macadam Road

Macadam
Regardless of the
thickness of the
structure many
of the roads in Great
Britain deteriorated
rapidly
when the subgrade
was saturated.

Three Keys to Long Term Performance

Water Infiltration

Water Infiltration
Shoulder
AC / PCC

Base / Subbase

Permeable &
Filter Layer
To Outlet

Subgrade
Collector
Pipe

Source of Moisture
Brand New Pavement

Drought in the Summer

Variation of Resilient
Modulus with Moisture Content
16

Resilient Modulus MR, ksi

100% AASHTO - T99

95% AASHTO - T99

14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0

10

20

30 40
50 60
% Saturation, S

70

80

90

100
3-19

Another Key to Long Term Performance

Influence of Soil Compaction

Another Key to Long Term Performance

Flexible Pavement
Structure
Surface course
Base course
Subbase course
Subgrade

Types of Flexible Pavement

Dense-graded

Open-graded

Gap-graded

Flexible Pavement Construction

Rigid Pavement
Structure
Surface course
Base course
Subbase course
Subgrade

Types of Rigid Pavement

Jointed Plain Concrete Pavement (JPCP)

Types of Rigid Pavement

Continuously Reinforced Concrete
Pavement (CRCP)

Photo from the Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute

Pavement types based on traffic

Low
Un-surfaced
Dust oil
Penetration macadam Surface treatment

Intermediate
Dense cold mix
Cold mix
Open cold mix
Lime treated base - Soil cement

Pavement types based on traffic

High Type
Asphalt concrete surfaced
Portland cement concrete

Definition of Stress
Stress is defined as force per unit area. It has
the same units as pressure, and in fact
pressure is one special variety of stress.
However, stress is a much more complex
quantity than pressure because it varies both
with direction and with the surface it acts on

Definition of Stress
Compression Stress that acts to shorten an object.
Tension Stress that acts to lengthen an object.
Normal Stress Stress that acts perpendicular to a
surface. Can be either compressional or tensional.
Shear Stress that acts parallel to a surface. It can cause
one object to slide over another. It also tends to
deform originally rectangular objects into
parallelograms. The most general definition is that
shear acts to change the angles in an object.

Definition of Strain
Strain is defined as the amount of
deformation an object experiences compared
to its original size and shape. For example, if a
block 10 cm on a side is deformed so that it
becomes 9 cm long, the strain is (10-9)/10 or
0.1 (sometimes expressed in percent, in this
case 10 percent.) Note that strain is
dimensionless.

Definition of Strain
Longitudinal or Linear Strain Strain that changes
the length of a line without changing its direction.
Can be either compressional or tensional.
Compression Longitudinal strain that shortens an
object.
Tension Longitudinal strain that lengthens an
object.
Shear Strain that changes the angles of an object.
Shear causes lines to rotate.

Definition of Strain

Hooks Law
Hooks law is a quantitative relation between
stress and strain
"Within elastic limit , strain produced in a body is
directly proportional to stress"
i.e. Strain Stress
OR Strain =(Constant)(Stress)
Where 1/K = constant of proportionality
Strain =(1/K)(Stress)
OR Stress / Strain = K
OR
Stress / Strain = K

Youngs Modulus
"The ratio of stress to the longitudinal strain is
called Young's modulus."
Young's Modulus = Stress / Longitudinal Strain
OR Y = s / e
But s = F / A and e = DL / L
Putting these values in equation
Y or E =( F / A) / (DL / L)
OR
Y or E = F L / A DL

Stress-Strain Demo
http://www.esm.psu.edu/courses/emch13d/d
esign/animation/Fnecking.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzb4Hpm
rub4

Role of Pavement Surface

4 Roles:

Smooth ride

Skid resistance
Surface (PCC or HMA)

Moisture barrier

Base Course

Distribute load

Subbase Course

Subgrade Soil

3-39

Rigid pavement
One which will bridge minor
undulations in underlying
layers without failing.
Westergard theory or slab on
elastic foundation.
Portland cement + aggregate
(+ steel)
Types of failure

Polishing
Scaling
Joint needs filling
Fatigue
Pumping

Traffic Loading in Rigid Pavement

Rigid Pavement Critical Loading

CRITICAL LOAD CONDITION ASSUMPTIONS

Maximum stress at pavement edge
25% Load Transfer to adjacent slab

LOAD

Maximum Stress
Bottom of Slab

Subgrade Support

42

Rigid Pavement Critical Loading

TOP DOWN CRACKING DUE TO EDGE OR CORNER LOADING NOT
INCLUDED IN DESIGN

Maximum stress due to corner or edge loading condition

Risk increases with large multi-wheel gear configurations
These conditions may need to be addressed in future procedures
Maximum Stress
Top of Slab

LOAD

43

Curling stress

Curling stress

JPCP Bottom-Up Cracking

(Mid-slab Load + Positive Curl/Warp Condition)

Base

Subgrade

Critical stress region at

bottom of slab

JPCP Top Down Cracking

(Joint Load + Negative Curl/Warp Condition)

Critical stress
region at top of slab

Base
Subgrade

JPCP Top-down Cracking

Top of slab
(crack initiation)

Flexible pavement
Can adjust its position to the
shape of the underlying layers
without damage.
Based on layered system
concept.
Asphalt cement or liquid
asphalts + aggregate
Failure types

Bleeding
Polishing
Deformation (rutting)
Fatigue

Traffic Loading in Flexible Pavement

Stress and strain in flexible pavement

Chapter 3 Section 2 Flexible Pavement Design

Wheel Load

Horizontal Strain and Stress

at the bottom of the asphalt

Area of Tire Contact

Wearing Surface
Base Course

Must also guard

against potential
failure in base
layers

Subbase
Subgrade

Approximate Line of
Wheel-Load Distribution

Vertical Subgrade Strain

Subgrade Support

52

Importance of stresses in pavement

To understand
The mechanism of load distribution
To use in improved design methods
To evaluate the performance of materials.

Stress strain analysis in pavement

Flexible Pavements:
Layered elastic theory
Finite element analysis
Visco elastic analysis

Rigid Pavements:
Slab on elastic foundation (Westergard)
Others (finite element).

Pavement loading

Pavement loading
Wheel can be single or dual
Axle can be single or Tandem
Legal axle loads are (18 kip to 20 kip) for more
load add more axles
Allowable is 32 kip with spacing of 40"-48".

Pavement loading tire pressure

If tire is inflated correctly
The contact pressure between pavement and tire is
equal to the tire pressure.

If tire has low pressure, then edge pressure is

higher than center.
If tire has high pressure, then center pressure is
higher than edge pressure.
For correct inflation, and assuming a uniform
contact pressure, the tire imprint may be
assumed circular.

PAVEMENTS ARE DESIGNED

TO FAIL
(IN A PREDICTABLE WAY)

Performance vs Design Life

AND WHY PAVEMENT FAILS

PREMATURELY
(IN AN UNPREDICTABLE WAY)

Two Measures of Pavement Performance

Functional performance:
present serviceability index, pavement surface
friction, and wet-weather safety index

Structural performance:
pavement structural capacity to accommodate
future traffic

3-61

Attributes of a Pavement in Good Condition

High level of service (LOS)

Safe
High customer satisfaction
Exceeds target performance indicators or has
limited deterioration; e.g.,
IRI < 15 cm/km (95 in/mi)
PCI > 70 or PCR 3.5
Surface Distress (cracks, faulting, etc.)

Skid Number > 35

Deflection < 305 microns (12 mils)
3-62

Typical HMA Pavement Distresses

Fatigue cracking
Bleeding
Polishing
Edge cracking
Roughness
Longitudinal and transverse cracking
Reflection cracking
Raveling/weathering/oxidation
Potholes
Rutting (stable/unstable)
3-63

Primary HMA Deterioration Load

Load
Rutting
Plastic
Deformation

Fatigue
Cracking

Primary HMA Deterioration Traffic

Traffic
Polishing
Surface
Wear

Friction Loss

Primary HMA Deterioration Environment/Aging

Environment /
Aging
Block Cracking
Asphalt
Hardening
or
Oxidation

Raveling/Weathering

Primary HMA Deterioration Material/Mix

Material Problems
Bleeding/Flushing

Friction Loss

Secondary HMA Deterioration Moisture

Infiltration
Cracks
+
Moisture
Infiltration

Breakdown of
Existing Cracks

Deteriorated Cracks

Composite Pavement Deterioration

Horizontal
Movement
(environmental)
+
Vertical
Movement
(load)
Reflection Cracking
3-69

Composite Pavement Deterioration

Cracking
+
Moisture
Infiltration
Delamination
3-70

Typical Rigid Pavement Distresses

Blow-ups
Transverse cracking

Longitudinal cracking
Corner breaks

Materials-related distress
Transverse joint faulting
Joint spalling

Joint seal damage

Loss of fines
(pumping)
Polishing (loss of
friction)

Map cracking and

scaling
Roughness
3-71

PCC Pavement Deterioration - Load

Loads
Slab Fatigue

Transverse Cracking

PCC Pavement Deterioration - Traffic

Traffic

Polishing

Surface Wear

Friction Loss

PCC Pavement Deterioration - Environment/

Material

Environmental/
Materials

Joint
Problems
Joint Seal Damage
3-74

PCC Pavement Deterioration - Construction

Poor
Construction
Quality

Scaling

Joint and
Surface
Problems

3-75

PCC Pavement Deterioration - Construction

Map Cracking
Poor
Construction
Quality

Joint and
Surface
Problems
3-76

PCC Pavement Deterioration - Construction

Poor
Construction Longitudinal Cracking
Quality
Joint and
Surface
Problems

3-77

PCC Pavement Deterioration - Moisture

Infiltration
Cracks/Joints
+
Moisture
Infiltration
Breakdown of
Existing Cracks

Deteriorated Cracks
3-78

PCC Pavement Deterioration - Moisture

Infiltration
Cracks/Joints
+
Moisture
Infiltration

Loss of Fines (Pumping)

Subgrade
Softening

3-79

PCC Pavement Deterioration - Moisture

Infiltration

Corner Breaks

Cracks/Joints
+
Moisture
Infiltration

Subgrade
Softening

3-80

PCC Pavement Deterioration - Moisture

Infiltration

Transverse Joint Faulting

Cracks/Joints
+
Moisture
Infiltration

Subgrade
Softening
3-81

PCC Pavement Deterioration - Incompressibles

Blow-Ups

Cracks/Joints
+
Incompressible
Material

3-82

PCC Pavement Deterioration - Incompressibles

Cracks/Joints
+
Incompressible
Material

Joint Spalling
3-83

Mystic, Connecticut