LONG LASTING HIGHWAY

PAVEMENTS – ISSUES & CONCERNS

Prof. A.VEERARAGAVAN,
Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Chennai- 600036.

av@iitm.ac.in
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 LONG LASTING PAVEMENTS

“A long lasting pavement is a type of

pavement, where no significant
deterioration will develop in the
foundations or the road base layers,
provided that correct surface
maintenance is carried out.”

-Brian Ferne and Mike Nunn

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 WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

• Deterioration of the pavement is confined only to

top down cracking and deformation in the
bituminous layers only
• Possible if the pavement is sufficiently strong for
the anticipated traffic and well built
• Construction translates design recommendation
to reality
• Quality of construction dictates the performance

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 AIM OF LONG LASTING
PAVEMENT PROGRAMME
• Determine best and optimal design for
construction and maintenance without structural
deterioration – long life pavements
• Select the pavement type based on life cycle
cost analysis and not based on initial
construction cost
• Predict the performance of alternate designs
using alternate materials
• Ensure that the design is sustainable and
environmental friendly
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 PRINCIPLES OF
PAVEMENT DESIGN
• Different Layers of a Flexible Pavement

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 FATIGUE RESISTANT
ASPHALT BASE
• Minimize the tensile strain at the bottom of the
bituminous layer with pavement thickness and /
or strength
• Thicker or stronger pavement – less strain
• Strain below fatigue limit- Indefinite life
• Fatigue resistant asphalt base – high asphalt
content mixes/ use of modified binders

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 FLEXIBLE PAVEMENTS
Vehicle

Black Topping-200 mm

Base – 250 mm Road

Crust
Sub Base – 200 mm

500mm Sub Grade

450
Embankment
Ground Level
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How to Extend the Life of the
Pavements and Prevent
Pre-mature Failures?

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 IMPROVE COMPACTION
SPECIFICATIONS
• Improved compaction increases strength
• Reduces compressibility
• Reduces tendency for subsequent changes in
moisture content
• Reduces erodability
• Longer life
• Lower Life Cycle Cost
Conceptual structure of compacted
material using static roller
Conceptual structure of compacted
material using vibratory roller
Amplitude
Low Frequency High Frequency

Impact Spacing

Frequency

DIRECTION OF TRAVEL
 SUGGESTED FREQUENCY AND AMPLITUDE
FOR VIBRATORY COMPACTION

Nature of Soil/ Frequency Amplitude (mm) Thickness of

Materials (CPM) Compaction,
mm
Rock 1800-2500 1.2 – 1.5 750

Sand/ Gravel 1800-2000 0.8 – 1.2 500

Sandy/clay 1600-2000 0.8 – 1.2 600

/clayey
Clay 2000-2500 0.8 – 1.0 400

Asphalt 2500-3500 0.4 – 0.6 50 – 75

CHECKING DENSITY
 PASS

• Each time the roller goes over the entire

pavement area is ONE PASS.

• How many passes of the roller are needed to

achieve the desired density?
 ROLLER PASS

1
CROWN
2 2-lanes @
3.7 meters
3 (12 ft)

5
Drum Width
4 = 1.8 meters
(6 ft)
Relation between lift thickness and relative
compaction for static and vibratory rollers
 High

Passing
Density
Density

Low
1 2 3 4 5 6

Roller Passes
ROLLER PATTERN PROBLEM

Compaction Curve

100
Compaction (%)

96

92

88
1 2 3 4 5 6
Number of Passes

Decreasing Temperature
 COMPACTION DENSITY
• Rate of Rutting
• Fatigue Life (Cracking)
• Structural Strength (Stiffness Modulus)
• Permeability (Entry of Air and Water)
• Ravelling
SUB-SURFACE DRAINAGE

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 Importance of Drainage
• Design of drainage system - key element in the
design of pavement systems
• Desired performance requires well-designed
subsurface drainage system
• Current practices of pavement construction
considers granular sub-base as a drainage layer
• Gradation and properties of layer materials
dictates the effectiveness of the drainage layer

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 Consequences of Poor
Sub-surface Drainage
• Entrapment of water within the pavement
leads to a “bathtub” condition, resulting in
pre-mature failures and chronic pavement
distresses
• Need to study the effect of inadequate
sub-surface drainage on the performance
of the pavements
• Modify specifications based on field
performance
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 Sources of Moisture
Through permeable surface

From edge
Capillary Seepage from
Vapor high ground
action movements
Rising water table

Water table

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 Moisture-Related Damage

Moisture-related damage falls into three

categories :
 Weakening of pavement layers
 Degradation of pavement material
(stripping and erosion of bit. layer,
erosion of other materials, D-cracking of
PCC)
 Loss of bond between layers
 Moisture-Related Damage

 All three types of damage can occur

simultaneously
 More damage when pavement is saturated
(e.g., rainy seasons and spring thaw)
 More damage when weakened pavement
is subjected to heavy axle loads

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Bituminous
Layer stripping
and erosion

Slide 2-29
GSB GRADATION
VERTICAL PERMEABILITY VALUES

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HORIZONTAL PERMEABILITY
VALUES

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GSB LAYER
BITUMINOUS SURFACE COURSES
 High Resistance to Deformation
 High Resistance to Fatigue; ability to withstand high
strains - flexible
 Sufficient Stiffness to Reduce Stresses in the Underlying
Layers
 High Resistance to Environmental Degradation; durable
 Low Permeability - Water Tight Layer against Ingress of
Surface Water
 Good Workability – Allow Adequate Compaction
 Sufficient Surface Texture – Good Skid Resistance in
Wet Weather
 Predictable Performance
 BITUMINOUS MACADAM (BM)
• Outdated, open graded, highly permeable and
undesigned recipe type mix produced without
any quality control on its volumetrics or stability
• Developed when hot mix plants not common
• Forms a “bath tub” within pavement, stripping
results
• Structural strength 50 % of DBM
• Not suitable for use as PCC
• BM is not cheaper than DBM
• Also used on heavy traffic roads
BM Grading 1 KANDHAL
BM Grading 2
KANDHAL
 POORLY GRADED
BITUMINOUS MACADAM
DENSE BITUMINOUS MACADAM (DBM)

• DBM is closely graded

• DBM is used as a binder course for
pavements subjected to heavy traffic
• Hydrated lime or cement shall be used as
filler, if the mix fails to meet the water
sensitivity requirement
 DENSE BITUMINOUS MACADAM

• Specified as base course or binder course

• Two gradations:
Grading 1 37.5 mm NMAS
Grading 2 25 mm NMAS
• Passing 4.75 mm (38-54 %) same in both
grading
 PROBLEMS WITH DBM GRADING 1

• Only marginal gain, if any, in stability from a few

scattered large aggregate particles
• Lower bitumen content
• Acute segregation problem
• High permeability: potential for stripping (seal?)
KANDHAL
Stripped DBM Grading 1
Stripped DBM Grading 1
RUTTING ALONG WHEEL PATH

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RUTTING AND SHOVING

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RUTTING

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KANDHAL
56
STONE MASTIC ASPHALT (SMA)
WHAT IS STONE MASTIC ASPHALT ?

 SMA is a gap graded rut resistant hot mix

asphalt
 Mix is composed of:
 High Quality Aggregates
 Asphalt Rich Mortar
 Mineral Filler
 Cellulose Fibres
SAMPLES AFTER RUT TEST

SMA II SMA I
OPEN GRADED PMC

KANDHAL
KANDHAL
No Sand Seal – Water permeated in less than
5 Seconds

KANDHAL
Moderate Sand Seal – Water percolated in 90 Seconds

KANDHAL
Heavy Sand Seal – Water percolated in 9 minutes.

KANDHAL
BC Surface – Water did not percolate for hours.

KANDHAL
 RECOMMENDED MIXES IN INDIA
• Bituminous Macadam (BM) Grading 1
• Bituminous Macadam (BM) Grading 2
• Dense Bituminous Macadam (DBM) Grading 1(37.5mm)
• Dense Bituminous Macadam (DBM) Grading2(26.5mm)
• Semi-Dense Bituminous Concrete (SDBC) Grading 1
• Semi-Dense Bituminous Concrete (SDBC) Grading 2
• Bituminous Concrete (BC) – Grading 1- 19 mm
• Bituminous Concrete (BC) – Grading 2 – 13.2 mm
• Open-Graded Premix Carpet
• Mixed Seal Surfacing (MSS)
• Stone Matrix Asphalt (SMA) – 13 mm/19mm(NMAS)
PRE-MATURE FAILURES

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 FORENSIC INVESTIGATION – TESTS
ON PAVEMENT MATERIALS
Gmb Gmm Voids Binder LL PI Compaction GSB Distress
% ,% of sub- Comp
grade, % %
2.410 2.583 6.6 4.73 61 36 97.3 92.8 Shoving/AC/
FO RAVELLING/
POTHOLE
2.294 2.527 9.9 4.87 36 14 92.2 96.2 Shoving/AC/R/PH

2.338 2.449 6.00 4.59 37 18 97.5 91.39 Shoving/PH/AC

2.310 2.474 4.20 5.29 36 6 97.9 96.2 No Distress

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PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE –
AN EFFECTIVE TECHNIQUE
FOR LONG LASTING
HIGHWAY PAVEMENTS
PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE

The planned strategy of cost effective

treatments to an existing roadway system
and its appurtenances that preserves the
system, retards future deterioration, and
maintains or improves the functional
condition of the system.
 ILLUSTRATION OF BENEFIT ASSOCIATED WITH
THE APPLICATION OF A PREVENTIVE
MAINTENANCE TREATMENT
Do – nothing condition Application of PM Condition indicator
indicator curve activity curve after PM
5.0
application

4.0 AREABENEFIT
Serviceability
(roughness)

3.0
Condition trigger level
= 2.5
Expected do-
2.0
nothing service
life = 10 yr
1.0 Expected service
life with PM = 12
yr
2 5 7.5 10 15
Age, yrs
 QUANTIFYING BENEFITS

Current Pavement Deterioration

Preventive
Maintenance Trigger
Condition

Rehabilitation
Trigger

Time or Traffic

Benefit of Preventive Maintenance

Benefit of Rehabilitation
 BENEFIT/COST COMPARISON

Strategy Benefit ADT Cost

Preventive Maint. 250 7000 Rs.5,00,000
Rehabilitation 1000 7000 Rs.35,00,000

250 * 7000
PM Strategy: B/C = = 3.5
500,000

1000 * 7000
Rehab Strategy: B/C = = 2.0
35,00,000
 PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE
TREATMENTS
• Fog Seals
• Slurry Seals
• Micro-surfacing
• Chip Seals/ Surface Dressing
• Thin Overlay – BC- 30/40 mm
 FOG SEALS
• Light application of diluted,
slow-setting asphalt emulsion
without aggregate cover

• Purpose
• Seal the pavement
• Inhibit raveling
• Enrich hardened/oxidized asphalt
• Provide delineation with shoulder
• For pavements in good condition
• Not recommended on high-speed roadways
 SLURRY SEALS

• Mixture of materials
• Well-graded fine
aggregate
• Mineral filler (if needed) • Purpose
• Slow-setting asphalt • Stop raveling and loss
emulsion of matrix
• Reduce potential for
• Thicknesses of 3 to 12 stripping
mm (0.12 to 0.5 in)
• Improve surface
friction
 SURFACE
DRESSING

• Application of asphalt and aggregate chips

rolled into pavement
• Purpose
– Seal the pavement
– Improve surface friction
– Wearing course
• Some recent application on high-volume
roads
SURFACE DRESSING
 APPLICATION OF
SURFACE DRESSING
Pneumatic-Tired
Rolling
Application of
Aggregate
Application of
Application of
Asphalt or
Asphalt or
Emulsion
Emulsion
Single Chip Seal Existing AC
Pavement
Double Chip Seal
 MICROSURFACING

• New Technology introduced in India

• Preventive Maintenance of
Structurally Adequate Pavement
• For Bridge Decks
 ADVANTAGES

 Marginal raise in pavement height

 Least environment pollution
 Life comparable to hot mix renewals
 Increased skid resistance
 Faster laying process
 High durability due to rubber additives
93
 Recycling is one of the
several rehabilitation
alternatives
 Hot In-place Recycling:
Remixing
Remixing
Machine Virgin
Material

Heater
Recycled
Pugmill Heater Scarifier
Mix
 FOAM BITUMINOUS MIX
 COMPOSITION
• Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement(RAP)
material
• Virgin aggregates (optional)
• Water
• Active filler ( Cement or Lime)
• Foamed Bitumen

Foamed Bituminous Mix

Source: Wirtgen Manual, 2012 104

 FOAMED BITUMEN
Produced by the injection of small quantities of cold water into
hot bitumen in an expansion chamber.

Foamed bitumen is influenced by

• Bitumen type
• Bitumen temperature
• Water content (1 to 5 %)
• Air pressure (1 to 10 bar)
 APPLICATIONS
• Rehabilitation of damaged bituminous
pavements by Cold in-place and in-plant
Recycling technology
• Foamed Bituminous Stabilised layer as Binder or
Base course with wearing course on top.

Damaged Bituminous Compacted foamed

Layer bituminous
NH-5 Chennai-Tada stabilised layer
Road

Milling of HMA Layer

109
 RECYCLING BENEFITS VS.
NEW CONSTRUCTION
• Life-cycle cost savings
• Reuses natural resources (aggregates,
binders, energy)
• Maintains existing pavement geometrics
as well as thickness
 RECYCLING ALTERNATIVES

Type of Pavement Hot Recycling Hot In-place

Distress (HR) Recycling(HIR)

Surface Defects
Raveling X X
Bleeding X X
Skid Resistance X X
 RECYCLING ALTERNATIVES

Type of Pavement
Distress HR HIR CIR FDR

Deformation
Corrugations X X
Rutting - Shallow X X
Rutting - Deep X X X
 RECYCLING ALTERNATIVES
Type of Pavement
Distress HR HIR CIR FDR

Cracking
Alligator X X X
Longitudinal X X X X
Pavement Edge X X X
Slippage X X

Load Associated Cracking

 RECYCLING ALTERNATIVES

Type of Pavement
Distress HR HIR CIR FDR

Cracking
Block (Shrinkage X X X
Longitudinal-joint X X
Transverse X X X
Reflection X X X
Non-Load Associated Cracking
 Summary
Use the appropriate recycling method
to address specific pavement
distresses and pavement structural
requirements
 WE HAVE TO DISCOVER….
• Behaviour of asphalt materials viz., binder and
mixes and relate to long life performance
• Predict the performance of pavements duly
considering the construction quality
• Benefits of preventive maintenance and evolve
optimal timing for preventive maintenance
• Benefits of timely maintenance and penalties of
deferred maintenance
• Economic benefits of long life pavements, which
will be enormous if we consider the road user
benefits also.
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THANK YOU…