Asphalt Institute Method

Mechanistic-Empirical Methodology
Structural
Models
Pavement
Response
Failure
Criteria
Trial Layer
Thicknesses
Material
Properties
Climate
Information
Final Layer
Thicknesses
Satisfactory
Traffic
Information
Unsatisfactory
Climate
Models
Mechanistic-Empirical Methodology
Structural
Models
Pavement
Response
Failure
Criteria
Trial Layer
Thicknesses
Material
Properties
Climate
Information
Final Layer
Thicknesses
Satisfactory
Traffic
Information
Unsatisfactory
Climate
Models
DAMA
(LEA)
maxasphalt c
t
max subgrade c
c
N
f
(fatigue)
N
d
(rutting)
h
ac
h
bs
E
ac
, E
bs
, E
sg
v
ac
, v
bs
, v
sg
MAAT
(F)
Final Layer
Thicknesses
ESALS
Freeze/Thaw
Asphalt Temp
Pavement Response
Fatigue Failure Criterion
( )
3.291
* 0.854
f t
N 0.0796 E

= c
Asphalt
Tensile
Strain
Asphalt
Fatigue
Life
Asphalt
Resilient
Modulus
Rutting Failure Criterion
( )
4.477
9
d c
N 1.365 10

= c
Subgrade
Compressive
Strain
Subgrade
Fatigue
Life
Traffic
( )( )( )( )( )( )
f
ESAL ADT T T D L G 365 =
Climatic Regions
MAAT
(F)
Asphalt
Grades
Viscosity,
(10
6
poise)
Frost
Effects
45 AC-5, AC-10 0.6 Yes
60 AC-10, AC-20 1.6 Possible
75 AC-40 5.0 No
Mean Monthly Air Temperatures
J an 45F May 56F Sept 78F
Feb 38F J un 70F Oct 73F
Mar 43F J ul 78F Nov 58F
Apr 45F Aug 81F Dec 54F
South Carolina (MAAT = 60F)
Pavement Temperatures
-5
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
08/01/97 08/01/98 08/01/99 08/01/00 08/01/01
T
e
m
p
e
r
a
t
u
r
e

(
C
)
Asphalt
Air
Pavement Temperature
1 34
1 6
4 4
p a
M M
z z
| |
= + +
|
+ +
\ .
Mean monthly
air temperature (F)
Mean monthly
asphalt temp. (F)
Depth (in)
Pavement Temperature
0
5
10
15
20
25
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
Temperature (F)
D
e
p
t
h

(
i
n
)
Air Air Pavement Pavement
Ground
Asphalt Modulus
( )
( )
( )
3 7
9 10 13
*
1 2 200 4 5 6
log 0.5
8 11 12
log
c c
a
c c f c
b
E c c P f c V c c f
c V T c c f

+
= + + +
+
Vol. air
content %
Asphalt
viscosity
% passing
#200 sieve
Vol. binder
content (%)
Asphalt
temp.
Loading
freq.
Unbound Base Modulus
Source: WSDOT Pavement Guide Interactive CD-ROM
2
1
= u
K
R
M K
Unbound Base Modulus
0.471 0.041 0.139 0.287 0.868
2 1 2 1 3 1
10.447 E h h E E K

=
Asphalt
Thickness
Base
Modulus
Base
Thickness
Asphalt
Modulus
Subgrade
Modulus
Unbound Base Modulus
3 3
3
1
+
=
+
s s b b
s b
h E h E
E
h h
s = surface course
b = binder course
Subgrade Modulus
2 Months 4 Months 5 Months 1
January January
50,000 psi
4,000 psi
12,000 psi
22,500 psi
1,350 psi
7,200 psi
18,000 psi
South Carolina
(60F MAAT)
Asphalt Institute Method
Asphalt Institute Method