TTE 4811 Sample Exam 1 Fall 2005

SAMPLE
Name: ________________________

(30) True or False: Circle the letter T if you believe the statement is true, or circle the
letter F if you believe the statement is false.

T F Jointed Plain Concrete Pavement (JPCP) is always doweled because of the large
number of joints generally used in this type of pavement.

T F Asphalt mixtures with higher stiffness are generally better and more desirable
because they are more effective at reducing subgrade stresses and are more
resistant to development of thermal stresses and cracking.
T F Base course thickness will have very little influence on pavement rutting.

T F Tie bars are used to hold together transverse contraction joints so that the concrete
can transfer shear stresses from one side to the other.

T F Thermal stresses and cracking are generally much greater in Portland cement
concrete (PCC) than in asphalt concrete (AC), because PCC has much higher
thermal contraction coefficient and is more brittle than AC.
T F Dowel bars should be well aligned, smooth, and debonded from the concrete.

T F In the Asphalt Institute’s fatigue equation for Nf (see equation sheet), no laboratory
test was involved in determining the coefficients –3.291 and –0.854. These were
determined empirically from field data.
T F Pavement deflection is a poor indicator of cracking but is a reasonable predictor of
subgrade rutting, because most deflection is caused by subgrade compression.

T F A Contained Rock Asphalt Mat (CRAM) structure uses an asphalt concrete surface
over a granular base over a second asphalt concrete layer. The potential for fatigue
cracking in this system increases as the granular base layer thickness increases.
T F Fatigue cracking is caused mainly by the shrinkage of hot-mix asphalt, and usually
indicates that the asphalt has hardened significantly.

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TTE 4811 Sample Exam 1 Fall 2005

(6) For the case of a one-layer semi-infinite system with a uniform load at its surface,
plot the vertical stress & strain as a function of depth along the vertical centerline
of the loaded area for the following two cases:
1. E = 60,000 psi
2. E = 15,000 psi

Note: Do NOT worry about exact values, but rather concentrate on showing the
correct trends on the diagrams provided below. Be sure to clearly label each case
on the diagrams.

Vertical Stress Vertical Strain

E, ν
Depth Depth

Vertical
Centerline
∞

(4) For the case of a two-layer system with a uniform load at its surface, plot the
vertical subgrade stress as a function of depth along the vertical centerline of the
loaded area for the following two cases:
1. E1/E2 = 1
2. E1/E2 >> 1

Note: Do NOT worry about exact values, but rather concentrate on showing the
correct trends on the diagrams provided below. Be sure to clearly label each case
on the diagrams.

Vertical Stress

E1, ν

E2, ν

Depth
Vertical
Centerline

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TTE 4811 Sample Exam 1 Fall 2005

(20) For an area of uniform subgrade conditions, a pavement engineer has set the
following maximum deflection criterion for design of a full-depth asphalt concrete
pavement:
• Maximum allowable surface deflection = 0.0288 in (28.8 mils)
The asphalt concrete to be used has the following properties:
• Modulus @ highest expected temperature = 200,000 psi
• Modulus @ lowest expected temperature = 1,000,000 psi

Assuming the subgrade and loading conditions shown below, determine the
minimum thickness of asphalt concrete required.

6 in

q = 100 psi
E1 = see above
ν = 0.5 h=?

E2 = 15,000 psi
ν = 0.5

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TTE 4811 Sample Exam 1 Fall 2005

(30) A full-depth asphalt concrete pavement is to be placed on a sandy subgrade, as

shown below. Note that:
• The pavement will be subjected to 1,000,000 per year of the standard load
shown in the figure.
• The design life is 10 years (i.e. after 10 years, cracking should be less than
20% of the area of the pavement, and rutting less than 0.5 in.)

Load = 9000 lbs

q = 80 psi
E1 = 500,000 psi
ν = 0.5 h=?

E2 = 10,000 psi
ν = 0.5

Answer the following questions:

i. Use the Asphalt Institute’s fatigue life equation (Nf) and other charts
provided to determine the thickness of asphalt concrete required for the
pavement to meet the design requirements.

ii. Use the Asphalt Institute’s rutting equation (Nd) and other charts provided
to determine the thickness of asphalt concrete required for the pavement to
meet the design requirements. You may assume that σ v = ε v × E (i.e. you
may ignore the effects of lateral stresses on vertical strain).

iii. What is the minimum pavement thickness required?

Hints:
N f = 0.0796 × (ε t ) −3.291 × ( E1 ) −0.854
N d = 1.365 × 10 −9 × (ε c ) −4.477
When Y-2 = X, then Y = X-1/2

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TTE 4811 Sample Exam 1 Fall 2005

(10) The KENLAYER output for the pavement and loading conditions shown below is
provided with the equations and charts.
Y=0
4 in 12 in

q = 80 psi
E1 = 500,000 psi h1 = 6 in
ν = 0.5 Point A
E2 = 30,000 psi
ν = 0.5 h2 = 10 in

E3 = 10,000 psi
ν = 0.5

Note: Point A is located directly under the

edge of the load, at a depth of 2 in.
∞

Based on the output provided, determine the following values:

• The maximum surface deflection.

• The maximum tensile stress at the bottom of the asphalt concrete layer.

• The maximum vertical compressive strain on the top of the subgrade.

• The maximum shear stress at point A.

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