Design of Flexible Pavements
(IRC:37,2018)
Kranthi K Kuna CEng, MICE
Civil Engineering Department
IIT Kharagpur
IRC:37-2018 – Salient features
• Combinations considered in the new guidelines
– (a) bituminous pavements with traditional granular
base and granular subbase
– (b) bituminous pavements with cementitious bases
and subbases with a crack relief layer of aggregate
interlayer below the bituminous surfacing
– (c) bituminous pavements with cementitious bases
and subbases with SAMI between bituminous
surfacing and the cementitious base layer as a crack
relief layer
IRC:37-2018 - Salient features
– (d) bituminous pavements with reclaimed asphalt
pavement (RAP) material or its combination with
new aggregates treated with foamed bitumen or
bitumen emulsion.
– (e) long-life bituminous pavements
IRC:37-2018 - Salient features
• Major Distresses identified :-
– Bottom-up cracking
– Top-down cracking
– Rutting in bituminous mixes
– Cracking of cemented bases and subbases and
– Subgrade rutting
– Performance criteria/other design considerations
have been provided in the revised guidelines to
address these failure modes.
IRC:37-2018
Combination -1
Dual wheel
Tensile strain at the bottom
of bituminous layer Tensile strain near surface
Rut Resistant Layer
Fatigue Resistant Layer
Granular base (unbound/treated)
Vertical Strain
Granular sub-base (unbound/treated)
on subgrade
IRC:37-2018
Combination -2
With cemented subbase/base and a crack relief layer
Dual wheel
Tensile strain at the bottom
of bituminous layer
Tensile strain near surface
Bituminous Layer(s)
Tensile strain/stress at the
bottom of CTB Granular Crack Relief Layer
CTB
Vertical Strain
CTSB
on subgrade
IRC:37-2018
Combination - 3
With cemented subbase/base and a crack relief SAMI layer
Dual wheel
Tensile strain at the bottom
of bituminous layer
Tensile strain near surface
Bituminous Layer(s)
Tensile strain/stress at the SAMI
bottom of CTB
CTB
Vertical Strain
on subgrade CTSB
Subgrade
IRC:37-2018
Combination - 4
With RAP/RAP+virgin aggregate - foam bitumen or emulsion stabilised
Dual wheel
Tensile strain at the bottom
of bituminous layer
Tensile strain near surface
Bituminous Layer(s)
Emulsion/foam bitumen stabilised
stabilised RAP/virgin aggregate
Vertical Strain
on subgrade CTSB
Subgrade
IRC:37-2018
Combination - 5
cemented base, granular subbase with crack relief layer of aggregate
IRC:37-2018
Combination - 6
IRC:37-2018 – Performance Criteria
Fatigue Cracking criteria
Nf = 1.6064*C*10-04 [1/εt]3.89* [1/MRm]0.854 (for 80 % rel)
Nf = 0.5161*C*10-04 [1/εt]3.89* [1/MRm]0.854 (for 90 % rel)
Where
𝑉𝑏𝑒
C= 10M, and 𝑀 = 4.84 − 0.69
𝑉𝑎+𝑉𝑏𝑒
Va = % air void in the mix used in the bottom bituminous layer
Vbe = % of effective bitumen in the mix used in the bottom bituminous
layer
Nf = fatigue life (80 kN axles for 20 % or more cracking)
et = maximum horizontal tensile strain at the bottom of the bottom
bituminous layer (DBM)
MRm = resilient modulus (MPa) of the bottom bituminous layer
IRC:37-2018 – Performance Criteria
Fatigue performance models for Cement Treated Base (CTB)
113000 12
( 0.804 +191)
E
N = RF (3.5)
ℇ𝑡
Where,
RF = reliability factor for cementitious materials for failure
against fatigue = 1 for Expressways, National Highways, State
Highways and Urban Roads and for other categories of roads if
the design traffic is more than 10 msa
= 2 for all other cases
N = No of standard axle load repetitions the CTB can sustain
E = elastic modulus of CTB material (MPa)
et = tensile strain at the bottom of the CTB layer (micro strain). Analysis
done with 0.80 MPa
IRC:37-2018 – Performance Criteria
Fatigue performance models for Cement Treated Base (CTB)
0.972−(σt/MRup )
𝑙𝑜𝑔10 Nfi =
0.0825
Where,
Nfi = Fatigue life of CTB material which is the maximum repetitions of
axle load class ‘i’ the CTB material can sustain
st = tensile stress at the bottom of CTB for the given axle load class.
MRup = 28-day flexural strength of the cementitious base
st/MRup = Stress Ratio
(analysis done with 0.80 MPa contact stress)
(one tandem axle taken as 2 single axles with 50% tandem axle load; one
tridem axle taken as three single axles with one third of tridem axle load)
IRC:37-2018 – Standard conditions
Analysis Conditions
Material response Linear elastic model
model
Layer interface Fully bonded (all layers)
condition
No. of Wheels Dual wheel
Wheel loads 20 kN on each single wheel (two wheels)
Contact stress for 0.56 MPa for tensile strain in bituminous layer and vertical
critical parameter compressive strain on subgrade; 0.80 MPa for Cement treated
analysis base
Critical mechanistic parameters
Bituminous layer Tensile strain at the bottom
Cement treated base Tensile stress and tensile strain at the bottom
Subgrade Compressive strain at the top
Note: (a) Only the absolute values of strains/stresses (without the + or – sign) should be
used in the performance equations (b) For pavements with strong bases and/or thin
bituminous layers, there may be only compressive strains at the bottom of the
bituminous layer and fatigue check may not be required for such cases
IRC:37-2018
• Design periods:
• 20 Years (NH, SH, Urban); 15 Years (Other roads)
• Long-life or a minimum of 30 years (High Density
Corridors (300 msa) and expressways)
• Reliability 90 % (Expressways, NH and SH); 80 %
for other roads
IRC:37-2018 – Traffic
• minimum annual growth rate of 5 per cent
𝐴𝑥𝑙𝑒 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑖𝑛 𝑘𝑁 4
• Single axle with dual wheel on either side ˭
80
𝐴𝑥𝑙𝑒 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑖𝑛 𝑘𝑁 4
• Tandem axle with dual wheel on either side ˭
148
𝐴𝑥𝑙𝑒 𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 𝑖𝑛 𝑘𝑁 4
• Tridem axle with dual wheel on either side ˭
224
• For tandem axles having only one (single) wheel on each side of the
axle, each axle of the tandem axle set may be considered as two
separate single axles (with single wheels) and Equation 4.1 may be
used for estimation of the equivalent axle load repetitions.
• Tridem axle with single wheels, it may be considered as three
separate single axles having single wheels.
• Indicative VDF values
IRC:37-2018 – Traffic
Cumulative Traffic
365×[ 1+𝑟 𝑛 −1]
𝑁𝐷𝑒𝑠 = × A×D×F
𝑟
Where,
NDes = cumulative number of standard axles to be catered for during
the design period of ‘n’ years
A = initial traffic (two-way commercial vehicles per day)
D = lateral distribution factor
F = vehicle damage factor (VDF)
n = design period, in years
r = annual growth rate of commercial vehicles in decimal (e.g., for 6
per cent annual growth rate, r = 0.06). Variation of the rate of growth
over different periods of the design period, if available, may be
considered for estimating the design traffic
IRC:37-2018 – Traffic
Lateral distribution
• Single-lane roads 100% of two-way
• Intermediate lane roads of width 5.50 m
75% of two-way
• Two-lane two-way roads 50 % of Two-way
• Four-lane single carriageway roads 40 % of two-way
• Dual carriageway roads
•
– Dual two-lane 75 % of Directional
– Dual Three-lane 60 % of Directional
– Dual 4-lane 45 % of Directional
IRC:37-2018
• Subgrade
– Minimum effective subgrade 5 % for two-way cvpd of 450 or
more
– Maximum 100 MPa
– A simple rational method proposed for determination of
effective CBR
• MRS = 10.0 * CBR for CBR ≤ 5 %
• MRS = 17.6 * (CBR)0.64 for CBR > 5 %
• Where,
• MRS = Resilient modulus of subgrade soil (in MPa).
• CBR = California bearing ratio of subgrade soil (%)
IRC:37-2018
• GSB:
• If the thickness of the sub-base layer provided in the
design permits, the sub-base layer shall have two sub
layers; drainage layer and the filter layer.
• Minimum thickness of single layer (gradation V and VI of
MoRTH) – 150 mm (new)
• Minimum thickness of drainage (III, IV) and filter layer (I, II,
V, VI) each layer of Two-layer GSB – 100 mm each (new)
• MRGRAN = 0.2(h)0.45* MRSUPPORT (7.1)
IRC:37-2018
CTSB:
– Minimum thickness 200 mm
– Grading IV of Table 400-1 of MoRTH specifications
• Elastic modulus value of 600 MPa is recommended for
the CTSB layers.
• CTSB with grading IV of IRC:SP- 89 [28] having strength
in the range 0.75-1.5 MPa is not recommended for
major highways but it can be used for roads with
design traffic less than 10 msa (Elastic Modulus value =
400 Mpa)
• Poisson’s ratio value of CTSB layer may be taken as
0.25.
IRC:37-2018
S.No Traffic Surface course Base/Binder
Level Course
Mix type Bitumen type Mix Bitumen
type type
1 >50 msa SMA Modified bitumen or VG40 DBM VG40
GGRB Crumb rubber modified bitumen
BC With modified bitumen
2 20-50 msa SMA Modified bitumen or VG40 DBM VG40
GGRB Crumb rubber modified bitumen
BC With modified bitumen or VG40
3 <20 msa1 BC/SDBC/PMC/ VG40 or VG30 DBM/ VG40 or
MSS/Surface BM VG30
Dressing
IRC:37-2018 –
Resilient Modulus of Bituminous Mixes
Mix type Average Annual Pavement
Temperature °C
20 25 30 35 40
BC and DBM for VG10 bitumen 2300 2000 1450 1000 800
BC and DBM for VG30 bitumen 3500 3000 2500 2000 1250
BC and DBM for VG40 bitumen 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000
BC with Modified Bitumen 5700 3800 2400 1600 1300
BM with VG10 bitumen 500 MPa at 35°C
BM with VG30 bitumen 700 MPa at 35°C
RAP treated with 4 per cent bitumen 800 MPa at35°C (600 MPa in 2012)
emulsion/ foamed bitumen (2-2.5) per
cent residual bitumen and 1.0 per cent
cementitious material.
Recommended test method ASTM-4123
IRC:37-2018 - Resilient Modulus of Bituminous Mixes
• Design shall be based on the actual values obtained with field design mixes
subject to a maximum value given in the Table for a temperature of 350C.
• If the resilient modulus value of the specimens prepared using field mix is
more than the value indicated in the Table for the particular mix and for
350C, the value given in the table shall be used for design.
• These guidelines recommend that, for the purpose of design, the resilient
modulus values for surfacing courses, SMA/GGRM/BC with or without
modified bitumen shall be taken as the measured resilient modulus value
of the DBM mix (bottom DBM mix in case of two layers of DBM) subject to
the upper limit set by Table 9.2 (for a pavement temperature of 350C).
• Modified binders are not recommended for DBM due to concerns about
the recyclability of DBM layers with modified binders.
IRC:37-2018 – Recommendation of Elastic Properties
Material Type Elastic/Resilient Poisson’s
modulus (MPa) ratio
Bituminous layer with VG40 or 3000 or tested value 0.35
Modified Bitumen (whichever is less)
Bituminous layer with VG30 2000 or tested value 0.35
(whichever is less)
Cement treated base 5000 0.25
Cold recycled base 800 0.35
Granular interlayer 450 0.35
Cement treated sub-base 600 0.25
Unbound granular layers Use Eq. 7.1 0.35
Unbound granular base over 300 for natural gravel 0.35
CTSB sub-base 350 for crushed aggregates 0.35
Subgrade Use Eq. 6.1 or 6.2 0.35
Thickness Templates
Surface course Base/Binder course WMM GSB
700
600 40 40
40 40
40
Pavement Thickness in mm
115 130 140
500 80 105
30
65
400
250 250 250 250 250
300
250
200
100 200 200 200 200 200
150
0
5 10 20 30 40 50
Traffic in msa
29-10-2022 26
