Modern trends of

Pavement Design

By
Rajib Chattaraj
JU Ex-Student’s Guild,
BidhanNagar, 29.09.18
 Some facts on Pavement Design
• Pavement is a structure like all other civil
engineering structure e. g, building ,bridges
etc.
• But unlike the other cases, pavements are
built mile after mile on the soils of varied
nature, the loads on the pavement in terms
of vehicles of size , wheel configuration, loads
etc. are also widely varied .
• The design of pavement structures is also a
nascent discipline of civil engineering.
• Pavement design is not totally analytical
based on the principles of mechanics, rather it
is tentative as it is mechanistic-empirical.
 Types of Pavements
 Pavements are used mostly in Highways and
Airfields and also in parking bays .

Both the types have following varieties :

 Flexible pavement : Asphalt topping on flexible

base
 Rigid Pavement : Cement Concrete Topping on a
stiffer base
 Composite Pavement: Either Asphalt or Cement
concrete topping on a variety of bases mostly
alternative materials other than conventional.
Trend of the change in concept of Pavement
design
 Durability against the structural failure.

 Serviceability , like riding quality, skid

resistance, noise resistance etc.

 Sustainability, environment protection,

conservation of the natural resources,
ground water recharging, energy
efficiency.
 Flexible Pavement Design
 Empirical Method
 Limiting Shear Failure Methods
 Limiting Deflection method
 Regression Method based on Pavement Performance or Road
Test
 Mechanistic-Empirical Method: Mechanistic approach is based on
the mechanics of materials that relates an input such as a wheel
load to an output or pavement response such as stress , strain,
deflection etc. Theoretically calculated “Damage” is correlated
with actual performance of pavements which is the empirical
part.

 Other developments: This include the application of computer

programs, the incorporation of serviceability and reliability and
consideration of dynamic loading
Present Concept for minimizing rutting and fatigue

The concept of use of vertical compressive

strain on the surface of the subgrade to
minimize rutting and the use of horizontal
tensile strain at the bottom of bituminous layer
to minimize the fatigue cracking was first
presented by Dormon & Metcalf in 1965.
Ref: Huang text Book on Pavement Engineering
 Evolution of IRC:37- Code for design of
Flexible Pavement
 1970: First Empirical design guidelines for flexible pavements
(IRC:37-1970), based on CBR method .
 1984: First Revision of IRC:37, based on equivalent axle load
concept, semi-empirical approach (past experience and
judgement)
 2001: Second Revision of IRC:37, based on Mathematical
modelling on MoRTH’s R-56 scheme research findings in view of
large traffic growth.
 2012 : Third Revision of IRC:37, Mechanistic-empirical approach
incorporating multi axle vehicle loading, IIT-PAVE software, many
options of base courses( composite pavements) other than
conventional granular base course, stiffer binder grade, reduction
of layer thickness.
 Draft of fourth revision is ready, discussion and debates are going
on.
 Load consideration in Design
Three different approaches
 Fixed Traffic :Heaviest anticipated vehicle is the main concern for
design, Number of repetitions not considered, Used for design
of airport pavements
 Fixed Vehicle: Design is governed by the number of repetitions
of a standard vehicle or axle , 80 kN single axle is considered to
be the standard axle load ,Axles that are not either single or not
equal to 80kN are converted into equivalent standard (80kN)
axle load using Equivalent Axle load Factor, Sum of the
equivalent repetitions obtained for all the axle loads anticipated
(during the design period) is used as design parameter
 Variable Traffic and Vehicle: Variations in loads and repetitions of
each individual load are considered important for design ,
normally used with procedures adopting cumulative damage
approach.
 Consideration of vehicle load for
flexible pavement design
 Traditionally for design of flexible pavement, Fixed Vehicle
traffic approach is used where the number of repetitions of
the standard axles are considered as the design parameter.
 Axle loads of different categories of vehicles are counted by
Axle load survey and converted to repetitions of standard
axle by Equivalent Load Factor or Vehicle Damage
Factor(VDF)
 The guiding equations for fatigue and rutting have also been
derived with respect to the standard axles.
 The standard axles are considered for single axle with dual
wheel on either side as 18000 lbs = 80 kN = 8.16 Ton, as per
the study done in AASHO in USA during 1958-60.
 Present method of flexible pavement
design as per IRC-37(2012)
Fatigue Model

Fatigue Model

Rutting model

The present method of flexible pavement design is done by the above

two sets of equations for fatigue and rutting which are based on the
standard axle load as per AASHO road test 1958-60 and tyre pressure of
 AASHO Road Test 1958-60
 US faced a huge need for an adequate
pavement design procedure in late
1950’s.

 AASHO primary purpose was to

determine the relationship between axle
loading and pavement structure on
pavement performance .

 Use to design pavements to provide an

engineering basis for establishing
maximum axle load limits, and to provide
a basis for the allocation of highway user
taxation.
Legal Axle load limits till some time past

Ref: IRC 3 (1983)

The gist of the notification dated 16th July, 2018, as
amended by notification dated 6th August, 2018
 Table showing the standard axle load and legal axle load
Type of Axle Standard Axle Legal Axle Load Legal Axle Load
Load (Prerevised) (Revised after
August ,2018)

Single Axle-with 65 kN= 6.63 Ton 6.0 Ton 7.0 Ton

single tyre on
either side

Single Axle with 80 kN = 8.16 Ton 10.2 Ton 11.5 Ton

dual tyres on (100kN)
either side

Tandem Axle with 148 kN = 15.09 Ton 19 Ton 21 Ton

dual tyres on (186kN)
either side

Tridem Axle with 224 kN = 22.84 Ton 24 Ton 27 Ton

dual tyres on (235kN)
either side
 The consequence
 The difference between standard axle load and legal axle
load are increasing.

 Moreover, due to problem of overloading, fixed vehicle

load consideration for the design of flexible pavement is
loosing its legitimacy.

 In view of increasing trend of legal axle load as well as

overloading, specially in this country, there is a need for
shifting the approach of load consideration for design of
pavement from Fixed vehicle approach to Variable traffic
and vehicle approach.
 Trend of improvement of material
characteristics
 The main change of trend in pavement design is
dominated by the improvement of material
characterisation of both non-bituminous layers and
bituminous layer.
 In non-bituminous layers, the shifting is taking place
from using conventional materials like GSB, WBM,
WMM towards using CTSB, CTB, Stabilised Base
course, stabilised recycled material (like RAP) base
course which are semi-rigid layers and are more
durable and sustainable solutions.
 IRC 37(2012) has the provisions of these alternatives.
 Different alternatives of base course
for flexible pavement
 (i) Granular base and sub-base ( Conventional)
 (ii) Cementitious bases and sub-bases with a crack relief
layer of aggregate interlayer below the bituminous
surfacing
 (iii) Cementitious bases and sub-bases with SAMI in-
between bituminous surfacing and the cementitious base
layer for retarding the reflection cracks into the bituminous
layer
 (iv) Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) with or without
addition of fresh aggregates treated with foamed
bitumen/bitumen emulsion
 (v) Use of deep strength long life bituminous pavement
(Perpetual Pavement)
Emulsion treated
RAP material
used in the base
course of a
flexible
pavement
Use of a chemical
stabilizer in improvement
of a poor subgrade of a
flexible pavement--- a
sustainable solution
 Application of Geosynthetics in
Pavement structures

Bi-axial Geogrids
 Application of Geosynthetics in
Pavement structures

Tri-axial geogrides
Saving in pavement composition by use of Geo-grids
Application of Geo-Cell in case of a
pavement with poor subgrade
Reduction of pavement thickness by
using Geo-Cell
Use of Geosynthetics in bituminous layer as asphalt reinforcement
 Drainage Layer
 Conventionally GSB layer is used as drainage layer in
both flexible and rigid variety of pavements.
 The present grading of GSB are questionable from
functional and performance point of view.
 Also over the years the aggregate particles in GSB
layer gets chocked up and the expected level of
draining function of the pavement may come down.
 In the years to come , availability of aggregate will be a
big concern.
 Geocomposite is the answer for that, it can serve
excellently as drainage layer as well as it’s use will
reduce the aggregate demand.
Application of Geocomposite for pavement drainage

Ref: Book on Geosynthetics authored by R M Koerner

Improvements in the bituminous course
 Mix design is an integral part of the pavement design.
 In bituminous layer also, a lot of advancement is taking place
in material properties.
 Improvement of the characteristics of bitumen has been
done by modifying it with polymer, natural rubber, crumb
rubber etc.
 Improved mixes like Stone Matrix Asphalt, Gap Graded
Asphalt Rubber are being used to cater the demand of a
stiffer and durable bituminous mix on the top of the
pavement.
 Use of RAP i.e, recycling with proper design is a modern
trend which is a way towards sustainability.
 Micro surfacing is a good and modern technique for
pavement preservation and maintenance.
 Recycling of distressed bituminous pavement

Milling of the distressed

pavement, collection of
RAP, use of RAP in a RAP
retrofitted HMP
 Recycling
 Recycling process can be HOT or COLD
 Again Hot Recycling can be In Place Recycling or In
Plant Recycling.
 And Cold Recycling can be In Place Recycling or In
Plant Recycling
 It can be Full Depth Reclamation.

Execution
of Hot in
Place
Recycling
Test Section of Gap Graded Asphalt Rubber Section
AR-Gap MIXTURE DEMONSTRATION
PAVEMENT TEST SECTIONS
 AR-Gap Mixture Design Parameter
Selection
 Aggregate gradation – new
gap-graded
 Binder – AR with 20% fine
CR with gradation passing
300-μm sieve size
 Mix design – Superpave
mix design
 Air voids (Va) – 4±1%
 Binder Content – 5 to 7% by
weight of the total mixture
 Voids in mineral aggregates
(VMA) – the minimum of
17%
 Rigid Pavements

 Concrete pavements comes in three varieties:

 Jointed Plain Concrete Pavement (JPCP)
 Jointed Reinforced Concrete Pavement (JRCP)
 Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement (CRCP)

 Classification mainly based on:

 Joint & Crack spacing
 Amount of reinforcement
Evolution of IRC 58- the guideline for Rigid
pavement which is JPCP
 IRC -58 Guideline was first published in 1974.

 1974 -WESTERGAARD’S formulae modified by Teller and

Sutherland were adopted for stress computation

 1974- Stress Computation for 4.1 Ton for Corner and Edge

 The first revision of the guidelines was made in 1988 after

the upward revision of the legal limit from 8160 kg to 10200
kg
 Evolution of IRC 58- the guideline for
Rigid pavement
 The second revision was brought out in 2002 to include
fatigue damage concept in design
 A computer programme, IITRIGID, was used for the
computation of flexural stresses due to single and tandem
axle loads
 The 2002 version of IRC:58 considered the effect of single
and tandem axles on the performance of concrete
pavements
 Solutions were provided for stresses in the slab caused by
single and tandem axles in the edge and corner regions of
the concrete slab based on Westergaard’s equations for
computation of stresses due to single wheel load
 Evolution of IRC 58- the guideline for
Rigid pavement
 The salient features of IRC:58:2011 guidelines were:
 Computation of flexural stress under simultaneous action of load
and (+/-)temperature gradient .
 Check for bottom up cracking.
 Check for top down cracking.
 Computation of stresses by finite element method.
 Use of 10 MPa DLC subbase.
 Design of drainage layer for quick removal of internal water is
included.
 Computation of flexural stress for single and tandem axles with
and without tied shoulders.
 Evolution of IRC 58- the guideline for
Rigid pavement
 The salient features of IRC:58:2015 guidelines are:
 7 day strength of DLC-7 Mpa as per( IRC:SP:49:2014)

 30 to 40mm of BC as bond breaking layer/ plastic sheet for de-

bonding.

 Failure criteria: Sum of CFD for BUC and TDC<1

 Additional recommendation for the drainage layer since MORTH

specification for GSB has poor permeability.

 Additional thickness of 10mm is recommended to take care two

tinning to restore friction.
 Scope of future research and improvement
IRC:58(2011) & IRC:58(2015) are based on Finite element
analysis with few assumptions and draw backs:
 DLC was assumed as Winkler foundation which is not the
actual case.
 DLC was not considered in CFD analysis, only PQC was
considered.
Field conditions which are not explained or considered in
IRC:58(2015):
 The interface between PQC and DLC with a change in bonding
condition.
 Concrete pavement with extended DLC layer.
 Change in slab width during construction of the four/six-lane
divided Highway.
 Bonded concrete pavement or 2 lift
concrete pavement
Cement Concrete Slab bonded to
Lean Concrete Subbase

Separation
Layer

In this type, the top layer

thickness is lesser than
conventional rigid pavement
Construction of a two lift bonded concrete
pavement
Construction of a concrete
pavement in a right way is an issue.
All the steps should be followed
very carefully. It is better to build
well constructed concrete
pavement with poor design than to
build a well designed concrete
pavement but with poor
construction.
 Composite pavement
o Concrete topping on flexible base or asphalt topping on
concrete base is the composite pavement.
o Concrete topping on the bituminous base is called White-
topping and is very popular way of making the urban roads
maintenance free.
o In the Indian cities like Greater Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune,
Bangalore, White-topping is applied extensively with success.
o A more versatile form of Whitetopping is Short pannelled
concrete pavement.
o While Whitetopping is done essentially on asphaltic bases after
milling for proper bonding, Short panelled concrete can be
done on any bases….. WMM, GSB, CTB, DLC, PCC, Stone set
pavements etc.
Bonded concrete overlay or Thin White Topping

Ref: National
Concrete
pavement
Technology
center, USA
Un-bonded concrete overlay or Conventional Whitetopping
Short Panelled concrete pavement done on a road at Mankar near Bardhaman
Short Panelled concrete pavement –case study
For implementation of the modern concepts
of pavement engineering particularly in this
country, we need to change our mind set to
achieve sustainability in creating and
preserving the very important road
infrastructure .

Thank you