2010.11.30.

ROADS
DESIGN AND MAINTENANCE
OF PAVEMENT STRUCTURES
LECTURE 12

DESIGN OF
NEW PAVEMENT
STRUCTURES

Necessary information:
Operational environment,
climatic effects
Loads
Parameters of applied materials

2010.11.30.

structural design

The PAVEMENT STRUCTURE is

designed for the repeating load of
vehicle circulation
however the pavement built onto soil or earthwork
would be ruined by the weather as well, without
any traffic load on it

the thickness of the pavement structure generally is the output

Input data of structural

design:
Volume and distribution of traffic
Load of traffic
Characteristics of the pavement
structure
Characteristics of the earthwork or
load bearing capacity of the top of the earthwork(E2)
soil
Environmental factors
fi. dewatering, groundwater, special effects

The STRUCTURAL DESIGN usually is

limited to the determination of the
thickness of one group of courses in a
chosen structure type
the characteristics of base courses could be
significantly different, their possible thickness is
controlled by the technological regulations

2010.11.30.

LOAD
the stress caused by the vehicles
passing on the road
there are different vehicles on the road with
significantly different loads
equivalent single axle load
the volume passing through during the lifetime
of the pavement should be determined

DESIGN PERIOD
in this period the pavement structure
is able to bear the expected traffic
load with suitable level of service
designed service lifetime of the
pavement structure
after this period quick failure and limited
usability could be expected

the renewal of the

structure could be
necessary

AXLE LOAD LIMIT

the maximal axle load allowed to
prevent overloading the pavement
structure and shortening of the
service lifetime
The movement of vehicles with higher
axle load is usually prohibited or tolled
Vehicles with lower loads can use the
road network without limitations

2010.11.30.

EQUIVALENT SINGLE AXLE

LOAD ESAL
an axle load chosen appropriately for
design

in Hungary as in several European

countries this load is 100 kN

The conversion of mixed vehicular traffic

into its equivalent single-axle, 100 kN.
The equivalence is based on the relative
amount of pavement damage.
The limit axle load and the equivalent axle load
are not related!!!

EQUIVALENT SINGLE-AXLE
CONVERSION FACTOR

ei

The conversion of a vehicle into its

equivalent 100 kN single-axle, based
on the relative amount of pavement
fatigue failure
damage
VEHICLE CATEGORY

FACTOR

bus
heavy truck

1,3
0,6

articulated

1,7

the increase of the load decreases

the lifetime at an exponential ratio

VEHICLE CATEGORIES
Group of vehicles with similar load
characteristics
vehicles of small axle load
could be neglected

only vehicles heavier than 70 kN are

taken into account at design

because of exponential increase of

the effect

2010.11.30.

EQUIVALENT SINGLE-AXLE
VOLUME
the passing of equivalent single-axles
causes the same damages to the
pavement than all the vehicles of the
actual traffic
volume of vehicle categories multiplied by the
relating equivalent single-axle conversion factor

DV

DESIGN VOLUME
The expected number of equivalent
single-axles during the lifetime of the
pavement structure
determined by the prediction of
the expected traffic
see lecture on traffic engineering
regarding prediction

TRAFFIC LOAD CATEGORY

Seven intervals of the value set of the
design volume
marked by A, B, C, D, E, K and R letters
according to the prevailing regulations

2010.11.30.

Design approaches
Romans, McAdam
Empirical
continuous monitoring of
Semi-empirical
constructed roads
Mechanical
based on the mechanical features of the
pavement courses

equivalent thickness

SEMI-EMPIRICAL DESIGN

allowed deflection of the pavement

EQUIVALENT-THICKNESS
comparison of different pavement
structures
how relates 1 cm thickness of the given
course to the thickness of the reference
course
reference is asphalt macadam

course thickness

H i = h ei
equivalent thickness
of the pavement

equivalent factor of asphalt is 2,2

equivalent factor
of the course

2010.11.30.

EQUIVALENT THICKNESS OF
THE PAVEMENT STRUCTURE
the thickness of the courses should be
multiplied by the relating equivalent
factor
the sum of the products should

H e = H i = h ei
i

exceed the necessary He

equivalent thickness

equivalent thickness
of the pavement

equivalent thickness of the course

STANDARD PAVEMENT
STRUCTURE
evolved for more convenient
usability, then put into catalogue
currently catalogue system is used for
the design of flexible and component
pavements
the thicknesses of courses of the pavement
structures in the catalogue were determined by
mechanical calculation

PROCESS OF DESIGN
Choice of pavement type
Design volume
Load bearing of the earthwork
Choice of standard pavement
structure
Check of structure for frost
damages

2010.11.30.

CHOICE OF PAVEMENT
STRUCTURE TYPE
Effect

Type

expected load
environmental
factors
economical issues
needs of investor,
operator

flexible
composite
rigid

DETERMINATION OF THE DESIGN

VOLUME

traffic
prediction

design period

traffic load

DESIGN PERIOD
Motorways, urban main roads

Rural main roads

Side roads

0
Rigid

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Flexible and composite

2010.11.30.

THE DAILY AVERAGE VOLUME OF

EQUIVALENT SINGLE-AXLES
traffic development factor of
the vehicle category

equivalent factor of the

vehicle category

ESAL = r s i =1 f i AADTi ei
average daily traffic of the
directional factor for directional
category[vpd]
distribution,
between 0,5 1,0
lane factor, depends on the
number of lane per direction,
between 0,9 1,0

NUMBER OF EQUIVALENT SINGLEAXLES DURING THE DESIGN

PERIOD
expected average daily
number of days in a year

volume of equivalent
single-axles

TF = 1,25 365 t ESAL

design period

for dynamical effect

TRAFFIC LOAD CATEGORY

Traffic load category
sign

meaning

A
B
C
D
E
K
R

very light
light
medium
heavy
very heavy
exceptionally heavy
extremely heavy

Design volume
DV (F100, [106 db])
< 0.1
0.1 0.3
0.3 1.0
1.0 3.0
3.0 10.0
10.0 30.0
30.0

2010.11.30.

Choice of standard pavement

structure
climate and hidrogeological factors
local materials
construction traffic
environmental factors
maintenance
The standard pavement structure bears the loads during the
design period without structural damages

UNBOUND BASE COURSE,

Crushed stone base of continuous
gradation
plyaszerkezet tpus
forgalmi terhelsi osztly
tervezsi forgalom, TF100,
milli egysgtengely

ktanyag nlkli szemcss alaprteggel

A

0.03 - 0.1

0.1 - 0.3

0.3 - 1

1-3

3 -10

10- 30

30 felett

folytonos szemeloszls
zzottk, FZKA

UNBOUND BASE COURSE,

Macadam crushed stone base
course
plyaszerkezet tpus
forgalmi terhelsi osztly
tervezsi forgalom, TF100,
milli egysgtengely

ktanyag nlkli szemcss alaprteggel

A

0.03 - 0.1

0.1 - 0.3

0.3 - 1

1-3

3 -10

10- 30

30 felett

zzottk, MZA

10

2010.11.30.

UNBOUND BASE COURSE,

Mechanical stabilization
plyaszerkezet tpus
forgalmi terhelsi osztly
tervezsi forgalom, TF100,
milli egysgtengely

ktanyag nlkli szemcss alaprteggel

A

0.03 - 0.1

0.1 - 0.3

0.3 - 1

1-3

3 -10

10- 30

30 felett

mechanikai stabilizci,
M20

mechanikai stabilizci,
M50

WEAK CONCRETE BASE COURSE

plyaszerkezet tpus
forgalmi terhelsi osztly
tervezsi forgalom, TF100,
milli egysgtengely

sovnybeton alaprteggel
A

0.03 - 0.1

0.1 - 0.3

0.3 - 1

1-3

3 -10

10- 30

30 felett

sovnybeton alaprteggel

HYDRAULICALLY BOUND BASE

COURSE
plyaszerkezet tpus
forgalmi terhelsi osztly
tervezsi forgalom, TF100,
milli egysgtengely

hidraulikus ktanyag stabilizcis alaprteggel

A

0.03 - 0.1

0.1 - 0.3

0.3 - 1

1-3

3 -10

10- 30

30 felett

150 mm vastagsg
hidraulikus ktanyag
stabilizcis alaprteg

200 mm vastagsg
hidraulikus ktanyag
stabilizcis alaprteg

11

2010.11.30.

ROLLED ASPHALT BASE COURSE

plyaszerkezet tpus
forgalmi terhelsi osztly
tervezsi forgalom, TF100,
milli egysgtengely

teljes aszfalt
A

0.03 - 0.1

0.1 - 0.3

0.3 - 1

1-3

3 -10

10- 30

30 felett

teljes aszfalt
plyaszerkezet

STRESS CATEGORIES
N (normal), F (increased)
ADDICTIVE STRESSES

sign

TRAFFIC LOAD CATEGORY

simultaneous consideration of traffic,

climate and terrain factors
roads in shadowed, cool areas
sunny roads or road of moderate traffic
load
roads of heavy traffic load

Based on load categories, traffic

operational factors and damaging effects

STRUCTURAL
DAMAGING
OF PAVEMENT
STRUCTURES

12

2010.11.30.

Failures of asphalt
pavements
structural problems

fatigue cracks
decay of surface factors
wheel tracks
early failures

relates to technological
problems

Surface factors
roughness
unevenness
intactness

slipping resistance
waves, deformation
cracks, disruptions
visual monitoring

Factors of wheel tracking

longitudinal stresses
load
smoothness of traffic operation
channelization
lane width
3,75 m

curve radius
lateral stresses

3,50 m

13

2010.11.30.

CRACKS
there are different types of cracks

lateral crack

forking crack
grid crack

longitudinal

CRACK FROM BELOW

originated from the thermal
motion of the base course or
structural problems

scaly cracks

CRACK FROM ABOVE

at the faulty places the
tensile strength of the
asphalt is lower

the asphalt cracks when the thermal

stress exceeds the tensile strength

14

2010.11.30.

MAINTENANCE
TECHNOLOGIES

Maintenance
temporary repair in bad weather
repair at the start
Upkeep
extends
the pavement service life, but
Preservation
generally provide no structural strength
Renewal extends the lifetime

preservation

Function of coatings
increasing permeability
increasing roughness
prevention of surface decays
repair of early damages
if there are no structural problems

15

2010.11.30.

SLURRY SEAL
spreading the slur of
aggregate of tight
gradation and
bitumen emulsion
in 0,5 1,2 cm
thickness

requires careful construction!!!

spread coating in 1,0 1,5 cm thickness

SEAL COATING
Surface cleaning, pot-hole
repairing
Bitumen emulsion spraying
Spreading single-layer of
uniform size aggregate
Rolling
Curing

Possible failures at the

construction of seal coating
turns out

good

sweats
uniform bitumen,
uneven size of
aggregate

sweats

good

turns out
uneven bitumen,
uniform size of
aggregate

16

2010.11.30.

STRENGTHENING OF
EXISTING PAVEMENT
STRUCTURE

The goal of pavement

strengthening is to increase the
load bearing capacity of the
structure
load bearing is featured by deflection

load bearing of the existing pavement

STANDARD DEFLECTION OF THE

EXISTING PAVEMENT
average of the measured deflection
values plus two times the deviation
95% probability in case of
normal distribution

if the existing pavement is not

cracked too significantly
otherwise the load bearing can not be
described by deflection

17

2010.11.30.

Necessary thickness of the

strengthening layer BASED ON
DEFLECTION
curves used in prevailing
regulations

Necessary thickness of the

strengthening layer BASED ON
EFFECTIVE ASPHALT THICKNESS
the necessary thickness is determined by
the COMPARISON of the existing
pavement structure and the similar
standard pavement structure
standard deflection is low, but fatigue
cracks are showing
composite pavements at
the end of the lifetime

DESIGN OF
RECONSTRUCTIONS

18

2010.11.30.

RECONSTRUCTION
strengthening and widening of the
pavement structure without
changing the alignment

DISTORTED CROSS-SECTIONS
for better delineation

MINIMAL STRENGTHENING
the thickness of strengthening at the
thinnest part equals to the minimal
thickness
for the necessary load
level relating the
minimal strengthening

bearing

possible thinnest strengthening

19

2010.11.30.

MAXIMAL STRENGTHENING
the thickness of strengthening at the
thickest part equals to the maximal
thickness
economic efficiency
level relating the
maximal strengthening

possible thickest strengthening

LONGITUDINAL SECTION
design of practical strengthening
thicknesses
the final levels should be
updated in the cross-sections
maximal strengthening

new pavement level

minimal strengthening
existing pavement level

possible closest to
minimal line

If the pavement structure

is CRACKED or
DEFORMATED

20

2010.11.30.

new pavement is made of

the existing courses

COLD REMIX

homogenization, local stabilization of

pavement courses
milling of certain courses of
the existing pavement
mixing and rolling with or
without binder

Binder could be
cement
bitumen
bitumen emulsion
foam bitumen

PROCESS OF
COLD REMIX

adding water or
foam bitumen

uncompressed
, homogenous
mix

milling and mixing drum

ruined
pavement
base course,
mostly unbound

Technologies for local hot

recycling of asphalts
regripping
reforming
reshaping
repaving
remix

roughening
profiling
new course after heating
profiling and new course
remix of the existing asphalt

21

2010.11.30.

TECHNOLOGY
Heating

top 5 10 cm
milling of soft asphalt

Milling

supplementary mix and/or

binder, rejuvenator

Mixing
Paving, rolling

similar to paver

before

after

REPAVE
loosening of the
pavement

new asphalt
wearing course

existing courses
are not remixed

profiling
paving of new
mix
rolling

several technologies

REMIX
new mix is added to the milled asphalt
binder and/or aggregate

if the lower courses are suitable from

the aspects of load bearing and
deformation-resistance

remix technologies are the

most advantageous

22

2010.11.30.

REMIX

ADMIX
adding asphalt mix to the existing one
to create a new asphalt mix, which
satisfies the requirements
before

after

new asphalt wearing course

from the existing one + binder + aggregate

REMIX

REMIX PLUS
homogenization of the existing
asphalt pavement, then paving of a
the two layers are rolled
new course
possible to rejuvenate the aged
binder

together

before

after

remixed course
new course

technology

RESHAPE
without new mix

REPAVE
with new mix

REMIX
with supplementary mix

heating

heating

heating

loosening

loosening

loosening

adding of new mix

adding of
supplementary mix

order of
work tasks

mixing

result

paving

paving

paving

rolling

rolling

rolling

new wearing course

23