CONSTRUCTION OF FLEXIBLE PAVEMENT

Pavement

A pavement may be defined as relatively stable layer or crust constructed over the natural soil.
It may also be defined as the layer of aggregate with some binding material that separates the
vehicles tyres from the soil strata. The main functions of a pavement is to support and distribute
the heavy wheel loads of vehicles over a wide area of the underlying subgrade soil and
permitting the deformation within elastic or allowable range and to provide an adequate surface.

Pavements may be divided into following two categories depending upon their structural action
and the manner in which they distribute the loads over the sub-grade. The type of pavements
depends upon the resources, traffic and available budget.

1) Flexible pavements 2) Rigid pavements

Flexible pavement
This type of pavement reflects deformation of sub-grade and subsequent layers on them. The
design of such pavement is based on the principal that a load of any magnitude is dissipated by
carrying it deep through the successive layers of granular material. The intensity of the load
diminishes in geometric progression as it is transmitted downward from the reduction of strength
with increased depth with the highest quality material at or near the surface. Thus the design
thickness in a flexible pavement is influenced primarily by the sub-grade. This type of pavement
can resist very small tensile stresses.

A flexible pavement mainly consists of soil sub-grade, sub-base course, base course and
wearing course.

1. Sub-grade:
The sub-grade is the foundation layer, the structure that must eventually support all the loads
that come on the pavement. In some cases this layer will simply be the natural earth surface. In
other and more usual instances it will be compacted soil existing in a cut section or the upper
layer of an embankment section.

Laying Techniques
The surface of the road bed on which the improved sub-grade is to be constructed is compacted
upto 95%of maximum dry density determined by AASHTO 180-D method.

The material is transported to the site and spread on road bed. After spreading the material is
mixed by motor graders until the mixture is uniform throughout. During mixing operation, water
is added as necessary to bring the moisture content to the proper percentage.

Compaction
Compaction of the sub-grade is done first with the help of sheep footed roller, by applying 4-5
normal passes and then two passes with vibration. Secondly tandem roller (plane tyred) is used
in the same pattern. Sub-grade is compacted upto 95% of the modified AASHTO. Field density
test (FDT) of sand replacement type is carried out to check compaction


2. Sub-base:
A sub-base of granular material or stabilized material may be used in areas where frost action is
severe, in locations where the sub-grade soil is extremely weak or where a construction working
table is needed. It may also be used, in the interests of economy, in locations where suitable
subbase materials are cheaper than base materials of higher quality.


Laying Technique
The material is transported to the site in dumpers. The spreading of material is done with the
help of graders. During spreading and compaction, water is added with the help of truck
mounted sprinklers to attain require compaction. Amount of water added depends upon the
judgment of the engineer.

Compaction
Compaction method is same as that for sub-grade but for sub-bases and base courses sheep
foot rollers are not used as they may crush the aggregates.
Rolling is done by progressing gradually from the outside towards the center, except on super-
elevated curves, where rolling is started at low side and progressed towards high side. Sub-
base is compacted upto 98% of the modified AASHTO.


3. Water bound macadam (W.B.M):
W.B.M work consist of furnishing and placing one or more courses of clean crushed stone base
mechanically interlocked by rolling, and voids thereof filled with screening and binding material
with the assistance of water, laid on a prepared sub-grade, sub-base, or existing pavement.

Laying Technique
First of all coarse aggregates are spread with the help of grader and they are compacted
forming a layer of required thickness, then stone dust is spread on this layer to fill the pores.
Water is sprinkled on this layer and further compaction is done.

Compaction
Compaction procedure is same as for sub-base. W.B.M is compacted upto 100% of the
modified AASHTO.

4. Prime Coat:
A prime coat is a thin layer of bitumen sprayed onto the surface of an existing layer, usually of
unbound or cement/lime bound material. It assists in promoting and maintaining adhesion
between the road-base and the bituminous surfacing by pre-coating the surface of the road-
base and by penetrating the voids near the surface.

Laying Technique
Prior to application of prime coat, all loose material is removed from the surface. The surface is
cleaned with the help of mechanical or hand brooms and the loose material is blown away with
the help of compressor (blower).

5. Tack Coat:
The primary function of a tack coat is to act as a glue to assist bonding of a new surface layer to
a previously primed surface, bituminous road base, or base course that has been left exposed
for some time.


Laying Technique
Prior to application of tack coat, all dust is removed from top of asphaltic base course with the
help of compressor. Tack coat is sprayed with distributor having rate of spray 0.24-0.6 lit/m.

6. Asphaltic Base Course (A.B.C):
Asphaltic base course is laid after the application of prime coat on W.B.M. It consists of mineral
aggregates (course aggregates, fine aggregates, filler material) and bituminous material.


Laying Technique
Material (asphaltic base) is transported from the plant to the required site in dumpers. The
material in the dumpers is covered to protect it from weather effects during transportation. The
mixture normally has a temperature of about 135 to 145C.

Automatic paver is being used for lying of A.B.C. The dumper is attached in front of paver with
dumper bin lifted and material falling in the hoppers of paver.
Paver moves forward at a very slow speed and lay the material. The thickness of layer or the
required levels are maintained with the help of a sensor running on a leveled piano wire, on
one side of the paver along the length of road to be paved.
Paver compacts the layer upto 60% with the help of vibrations produced by the screeds of the
paver.

Compaction
After laying, little shoving or tearing is done as required and rolling is started as soon as
possible. Breakdown rolling is done with the help of tandem steel roller.
Intermediate rolling with pneumatic tyred roller is done behind the initial rolling. The final
rolling is done with tandem roller to finish the surface. Rollers are moved at uniform slow speed
with drive rolls nearest the paver.

7. Asphaltic Wearing course (A.W.C):
Asphaltic wearing course is laid after the application of tack coat on A.B.C.
It consists of mineral aggregates (course aggregates, fine aggregates, filler material) and
bituminous material.

Laying Techniques
Laying techniques are same as that for A.B.C.

Compaction
Details are same as that for A.B.C.

References
http://www.pavementeducation.edu.au/postgraduate-units-study/flexible-pavement-construction
http://www.ketley-brick.co.uk/flexible-pavement-construction.htm
onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/millennium/00039.pdf