AASHTO@UIDE

FORDESIGNOFPAVEMENTTRUCTURES1986

PublishedbytheAmericanAssociation ofStateHighwayandTransportation Officials

It44N. CapitolStreet,N. W.,Suite225Washington,D.C.2(X)01

@Copyright,1986,bytheAmerican Association ofStateHighwayandTransportation 0fficials.All Rights Reserved.PrintedintheUnitedStates of America.This book,orpartsthereof,may notbereproducedin anyformwithout writtenpermission of thepublishers.

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DesignRequirementssection),it is stronglyrecommendedthat thedesignerusemean(average)valuesratherthan"conservativeestimates"foreachofthedesignnputs requiredby theprocedures.This is mportant sincehe equationsweredevelopedusingmean values andactualvariations.Thus,the designermustusemeonvalues andstandarddeviationsassociatedwithhis conditions.2.TDESIGNVARIABLES2.1.1TimeConstraintsThis sectioninvolvesthe selectionofperformanceand analysisperiodinputswhichaffect(orconstrain)pavementdesign fromthedimensionoftime.Consideration oftheseconstraintssrequiredorbothhighway and low-volumeroaddesign.Timeconstraintspermitthedesigner toselectfrom strategiesrangingfromthe initial structurelastingtheentire analysisperiod(i.e.,performanceperiodequalstheanalysisperiod)tostage constructionwithan initialstructureandplannedoverlays.Perlormance Period.Thisrefersto theperiodoftime that aninitialpavementstructurewill lastbeforeit needsehabilitation.Italsorefers otheperformancetime between rehabilitationoperations.n thedesignprocedures presentedn thisGuide, theperformanceperiodis equivalenttothetime elapsedas a new,reconstructed, orrehabilitatedstructuredeterioratesfrom its initialserviceabilityto its terminalservice-ability.For theperformanceperiod,thedesignermustselectminimumand maximumboundsthat are estab.lishedbyagencyexperienceandpolicy.It is mportanttonote that, in actualpractice,theperformanceperiodcanbe significantlyaffectedby the typeand levelofmaintenance applied.Thepredictedperformanceinherentnthisproceduresbasedon themaintenancepractlcesattheAASHORoad'l'est.The minimumperformanceperiodis theshortestamountof timeagivenstageshouldast. Forexample,it may bedesirable hattheinitialpavementstructurelastat least l0yearsbeforesomemajor rehabilitationoperationisperformed.Thelimitmaybe controlledby suchactorsas hepublic'sperceptionofhowlonga"new" surface should last,thefundsavailable forinitial construction,life-cyclecost,and otherengi-neering considerations.The moximumperformanceperiodisthe maximumpracticalamountof timethat theusercan expect romagivenstage. For example,experiencehasshown inII-7areasthatpavementsoriginallydesigned o last20yearsrequiredsome typeofrehabilitationor resur-facingwithinl5yearsafter initialconstruction.Thislimiting timeperiodmay bethe resultof PSI lossdueto environmentalfactors,disintegration ofsurface,etc. Theselection of longer timeperiodsthan canbeachievedn the field will resultin unrealisticdesigns.Thus, if life-cyclecostsare o beconsideredccurately,it is importanttogivesome considerationtothemaximumpracticalperformanceperiodofagivenpavementtype.AnalysisPeriod. This refersto theperiodoftimefor whichthe analysis is tobeconducted, i.e.,thelengthof time that any designstrategymustcover.Theanalysisperiodisanalogous to thetermdesign lifeusedby designers n thepast.Becauseofthecon-sideration ofthe maximumperformanceperiod,itmay benecessary oconsiderandplanforstageconstruction(i.e.,an initialpavementstructurefol-lowed byone or more rehabilitationoperations)toachieve the desired analysisperiod.In thepast, pavementswere typically designed andanalyzedfor a 2O-yearperformanceperiod,sincetheoriginalInterstate HighwayActin 1956 equired thattrafficbeconsidered through1976.t is now recom-mendedthat considerationbegiveno longer analysisperiods,sincethese may be better suitedfortheevaluationof alternativelong-termstrategiesbasedonlife-cyclecosts.Considerationshouldbegiventoextendingthe analysisperiodtoincludeone rehabili-tation.Forhigh-volume urban freeways, longeranalysisperiodsmaybe considered. Followingaregeneralguidelines:HighwayConditionsAnalysis Period(years)HighvolumeurbanHigh volume ruralLow volumepavedLow volumeaggregatesurface

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2.1.2TrafficThedesignproceduresorbothhighwaysand low-volumeroadsare all basedon cumulativeexpectedl8-kip equivalentsingleaxle loads(ESAL)duringtheanalysisperiod(Sra).Theprocedurefor convertingmixedtraffic intothese l8-kipESALunits ispresentedin Part Iand AppendixD of thisGuide.Detailed equivalency valuesaregivennAppendixD.

 

II.8For any designsituation in whichthe initialpavementstructureisexpected tolast, theanalysisperiodwithoutany rehabilitationor resurfacing,all that isrequiredisthetotaltrafficover theanalysisperiod.If,however,stage constructionis considered,i.e.,rehabilitationor resurfacings anticipateddueo lack

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Designof PavementStructuresof initial funds,roadbedswelling, frost heave,etc.),thenthe user mustprepareagraphof cumulativel8-kip ESALtrafficversus time,asillustratedinFigure2. .Thiswill be used o separatehe cumulativetraffic into theperiods (stages)during whichit isencountered.

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20Figure2.1.Exampleplotofcumulative18-kipESALraffic versusime.