PART I11

PAVEMENT DESIGN PROCEDURES

FOR REHABILITATION OF
EXISTING PAVEMENTS
 CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
This chapter provides an overview to Part I11 of the
Design Guide which examines the rehabilitation of
existing pavement systems, A brief background
relative to the analysis procedures for rehabilitation is
first presented, followed by a discussion of the scope
of Part 111. Assumptions and limitations associated
with this material are discussed, as well as the general
organization and objectives of the chapters compris-
ing Part 111.
1.1 BACKGROUND
The 1981 edition of the Design Guide contained a
specific chapter dealing with overlay design proce-
dures, but no unique AASHTO overlay method was
introduced. The Guide simply presented a brief sum-
mary overview of various overlay approaches and
noted that, “state highway agencies are encouraged to
develop procedures applicable to their specific condi-
tions and requirements,”
In recent years, the emphasis of highway construc-
tion has gradually shifted from new design and con-
struction activities to maintenance and rehabilitation
of the existing network. This critical change in project
emphasis clearly necessitates the development of
guidelines for specific major rehabilitation procedures
and their engineering consequences. Thus, Part I11
has been developed to expand the previous treatment
of rehabilitation in the AASHTO Design Guide for
Pavement Structures.
The Guide methodologies presented in Part I1
(Design of NewlReconstructed Pavements), coupled
with the methodologies of Part I11 (Rehabilitation),
afford the engineer with the means to develop a com-
prehensive approach to pavement performance analy-
sis on a project level management system framework.
When Parts I1 and 111are used collectively, pavement
performance may be assessed within an analysis per-
iod that may encompass one or more rehabilitation
cycles. In addition, both of these Parts are flexible in
that they may be used independently to provide de-
tailed guidance relative to either new designs or major
rehabilitation.
1.2 SCOPE
The major objective of Part III is to present the
comprehensive framework of a method for selecting
the best major rehabilitation strategy (or strategies)
for use on a specific project. It is important to recog-
nize that major rehabilitation activities discussed in
Part III encompass not only structural overlay proce-
dures, but other major rehabilitation methods as well.
Of equal importance is the fact that no guidance is
presented in Part I11 for the use of overlays as a tool to
improve the skid-resistant qualities of a pavement
surface. Guidance on skid resistance is contained in
the 1976 AASHTO publication Guidelines for Skid
Resistant Pavement Design.
The overall philosophy of the rehabilitation ap-
proach is based upon the AASHTO design-service-
ability-performance concepts used in Part I1 for new
pavement designs. This performance-based frame-
work allows for a combined design-rehabilitation
strategy to be analyzed over a predefined analysis per-
iod. This, in turn, allows for a comprehensive frame-
work to be developed in order to estimate the probable
life-cycle costs of any given strategy within the analy-
sis period. Such an approach is necessary if economic
principles are to be applied as one of the decision
criteria for the eventual selection of the preferred re-
habilitation strategy from several possible (and techni-
cally feasible) solutions.
While Part I11 is intended to serve as a self-
contained solution method, the user will quickly dis-
cover the need to make direct use of the methodology
presented in Part 11. This is necessary because the
structural overlay procedure presented here requires
new structural designs, found in Part 11, as an integral
part of the rehabilitation analysis. Also noteworthy is
that the approach presented for the structural overlay
analysis of pavement systems lends itself to develop-
ing input for use with the more mechanistic overlay
approaches discussed in Part IV of the Guide.
The structural overlay analysis presented in Part I11
is based, in part, on two relatively new concepts.
First, the role of nondestructive dynamic deflection
testing is emphasized as the key tool in evaluating
111-3
111-4
characteristics of the existing pavement. In addition,
the concept of remaining pavement life is directly in-
corporated into the overlay methodology.
The rehabilitation methodology of Part I11 is appli-
cable to all major types of existing pavement systems.
Similarly, methods for both flexible and rigid overlays
are presented for any type of existing pavement sys-
tem. Also discussed within the overall approach is the
use of either new (virgin) or recycled material as the
sole source of material.
Finally, while Part 111 examines a comprehensive
approach to the rehabilitation of pavements, the
user will note that the philosophy of methodology is
broader in scope than the more well-defined, methodi-
cal solution of Part 11. The major reason for this is that
significant differences exist between the current new
design-performance relationships and rehabilitation
performance knowledge. While analytical solutions to
portions of the rehabilitation methodology are pre-
sented, the engineer must recognize that it may be
impossible to accurately determine the optimal reha-
bilitation solution from a rigorous analytical model.
However, the user should not be discouraged from
employing this approach but rather feel encouraged to
use every available tool at hidher disposal to deter-
mine the problem cause, identify potentially sound
and economic solution alternatives, and then select
the most preferred rehabilitation strategy from sound
engineering experience.
1.3 ASSUMPTIONS/LIMITATIONS
Because the structural overlay method is based, in
part, on the AASHTO design-performance concepts
of Part 11, the limitations and assumptions associated
with the new pavement design methodology are appli-
cable to the overlay portion of Part 111. The fundamen-
tal approach used for all overlay-existing pavement
combinations is based on the “Thickness Deficiency”
overlay approach (i.e., the existing thickness is in-
adequate for anticipated future traffic) * This requires
evaluation of the existing pavement system, princi-
pally through the use of nondestructive testing (NDT),
to determine the effective structural capacity of the
existing pavement prior to overlay.
While the Thickness Deficiency approach has been
used in practice for many years, it lacks some degree
of field verification for design-performance prediction
when compared to the procedures for new pavement
designs. In addition, while the state of the art associ-
ated with the use/analysis of NDT deflection data is
considered good, changes and advancements in NDT
Design of Pavement Structures
technology are constantly improving the accuracy of
this methodology in practice. While the recognition of
possible future improvements should be a consider-
ation, the fundamental approach presented in Part I11
can serve as the basic framework for structural overlay
evaluation for the foreseeable future.
Part I11 also incorporates the use of major rehabili-
tation methods other than overlays. In general, one of
the least understood areas of state of the art rehabilita-
tion concerns the ability to confidently and accurately
predict probable performance (e. g., serviceability-
traffic loadinghime) for nonoverlay rehabilitation so-
lutions. This is one of the most significant limitations
of the rehabilitation guidelines, and user agencies
are strongly encouraged to build a continuous and
accurate performance data base to increase the over-
all accuracy and confidence level of performance pre-
dictions, In addition, while major nonoverlay reha-
bilitation methods are presented in Part 111, the user
must not view these as being all-inclusive. As the state
of the art increases, future revisions of Part 111 will
incorporate additional nonoverlay rehabilitation
methods that have been successfully used in practice.
The overlay design procedure for flexible pavement
presented by these guidelines is considered to repre-
sent the state of the art with respect to the rehabilita-
tion of pavements with structural sections deficient
in strength and/or thickness for the traffic loadings
which have been applied, as evidenced by permanent
deformation. For those pavements in which the pri-
mary distress mechanism is fatigue cracking without
permanent deformation, other empirical or mechanis-
tic-empirical design procedures based on nondestruc-
tive testing may be more appropriate.
With respect to rigid pavements, the following pro-
cedures are considered applicable and appropriate for
those situations in which, based on visual observation
and the results of nondestructive tests, there exists a
structural section deficiency. In those cases where the
distress mechanism is due to causes other than a defi-
ciency in structural section thickness and/or strength,
avoidance of reflective cracking will control the de-
sign of the rehabilitation.
1.4 ORGANIZATION
Part I11 is organized into three major sections.
Chapter 2 presents the general fundamentals associ-
ated with pavement rehabilitation, rehabilitation
types, approaches to use, and the decision process for
selecting preferred rehabilitation treatment. Chapter 3
details guidelines for collecting information from both
Introduction
the field and historic records for use in the rehabilita-
tion process. This information then forms the basis for
the rehabilitation methodology presented. Chapters 4
and 5 discuss the specific rehabilitation methods. In
Chapter 4, rehabilitation approaches other than over-
111-5
lays are examined, while Chapter 5 details the struc-
tural overlay method for all pavement types. Examples
are presented in both chapters to illustrate and clarify
procedure specifics.