Pavement Evaluation and Rehabilitation Assignment One

ADAMA SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF CIVIL ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE
DEPARTEMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Pavement Evaluation and Rehabilitation Assignment One

Prepared by: Sifan Mirkena

ID No: R/1062/08
Section: 3
Group: 6
Submitted to: Mr. Firazzar B.
Submission Date: March 24, 2020

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 Pavement Evaluation and Rehabilitation Assignment One

1. One of the methods used to measure performance of pavements is

surface friction .Briefly write and explain the methods used to
measure surface friction.
Answer
Adequate surface friction must be provided on a pavement so that loss of control
does not occur in normally expected situations when the pavement is wet.
Methods used to measure surface friction are:
 Skid number/stopping distance number- using locked wheel
trailer/passenger vehicle
A locked wheel or skid mode is a condition where the rotation or angular
velocity of the tire has stopped and the tire is heading in the direction of
travel. There is a 0o angle between the tire plane and the direction of travel.
This is the most common means of determining pavement friction.
 Measurement of surface texture- sand patch method and pendulum method
Surface texture was measured by power spectrum using current one-
dimensional texture indicator, root mean square roughness and mean profile
depth.
- Sand patch method:
A specific volume of each type of graded sand prepared in the laboratory
by sieving (passing sieve no. 25 and retained on sieve no. 52) was spread
by using specific plastic tool on the pavement surface in circular motion.
- Pendulum method: is operated by releasing a pendulum from a height
that is adjusted so that a rubber slider on the pendulum head contacts the
pavement surface over a fixed length.

2. Differentiate between distractive and non-distractive methods used

to measure structural condition of pavements and also explain
different methods used under each.
Answer
Destructive methods: are methods of investigating by opening up existing
pavements so that types of materials and their properties and thickness of the
different layers are determined.
These methods can be divided into two categories:
 Dynamic cone penetration test: a rapid test used to measure the insitu
strength of unbound materials and is particularly useful for identifying the

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 Pavement Evaluation and Rehabilitation Assignment One

cause of pavement deterioration when it is associated with one of the

unbound pavement layers. It is convenient to convert the individual
pavement thickness and strength measured into SN.
 Destructive sampling and testing: this particularly useful to identify the
cause s of failure in the asphalt surfacing when the results of the condition
survey indicate so. Laboratory tests on unbound materials also be conducted
to support the results of DCP.
Nondestructive methods: deflection measurements have long been used to evaluate the
structural capacity of an existing pavement. They can be used to back-calculate the
elastic modulus of pavement layers, evaluate the load transfer efficiency across joints
and cracks, and determine the weak locations.
A method used under nondestructive methods is:
 Ground Penetrating Radar: is complex and requires considerable expertise,
training, and experience. The following key issues should, however, be
considered:
- Use the radar gram or other GPR output to assess layer thickness and
changes in construction as means for identifying specific location where
cores need to be taken to validate observations.
- Use the amplitude analysis to identify and delineate problem areas such
as delamination, debonding, stripping, or voids.
- Use the frequency analysis to identify and delineate changes in moisture
content and moisture-related problems such as stripping.
- Link the GPR observations to the results from other NDT(e.g., FWD), and
to the observations from the initial visual assessment to determine if the
issues being investigated can be explained.
 Falling Weight Deflectometer(FWD): a number of commercial software
programs have been developed for FWD interpretation.

3. What are the principal factors affecting pavement performance?

Briefly explain.
Answer
The principal factors affecting pavement performance:
 Traffic loading
Traffic loads are the vehicle forces exerted on the pavement (e.g., by trucks,
heavy machinery, airplanes).

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 Pavement Evaluation and Rehabilitation Assignment One

The loading applied by traffic is the major factors are:

a. Axle-loads and configurations: the axle configuration is important to know
the way in which the load is applied on the pavement surface.
- Axle loads affect primarily the stresses and strains developed in the lower
layers of the pavement
- The individual wheel or axle-load that is critical in pavement design and
performance.
- Most countries limit, by law, the maximum axle-load of vehicles
b. Number of repetitions:
- Design the pavement for a specified number of years and to estimate the
total number and magnitude of loads that will be applied during the
periods specified.
- Each load application causes some deformation and the total deformation
is the summation of all these.
- Although the pavement deformation due to single axle load is very small,
the cumulative effect of number of load repetition is significant.
- Therefore, modern design is based on total number of standard axle load(
usually 80KN single axle)
c. Speed of traffic loading:
- Studies showed that the stresses and deflections tend to decrease as the
vehicle speed increases.
- Considered for uphill roads and bus stops.
 Environment
The environmental factors that influence pavement design include
temperature, and precipitation.
a. Temperature:
Affects:
- The resilient modulus of bituminous layers and
- Creates thermal stresses in cement concrete slabs.
b. Precipitation:
- The construction of earth works
- Strength of pavement structure

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 Pavement Evaluation and Rehabilitation Assignment One

- Surface water drainage

 Materials
- Pavement materials include soils, aggregates, bituminous binders, and
cement.
- The properties of these materials under traffic loading in a given
environmental conditions is fundamental for the proper design of
pavement structures.
- Moreover, if economically constructed facilities are to be obtained, locally
available materials are to be used efficiently.

4. Rehabilitation works are undertaken to significantly extend the

service life of an existing pavement structure. Explain the methods to
attain those advantages.
Answer
a. Rehabilitation methods with overlays
One or more courses of asphalt construction on existing pavement
b. Rehabilitation methods other than overlays
- Reconstruction: the process of constructing or creating some pavement
again that has been damaged or destroyed.
- Recycling: is defined as a rehabilitation technique in which the existing
pavement materials are reused in place.

5. Pavement maintenance and rehabilitation

A. Briefly explain the difference between Maintenance and Rehabilitation
activities of highway.

Answer

Maintenance is work performed from time to time to keep a pavement, under

normal conditions of traffic and forces of nature, as nearly as possible in its as-
constructed condition. Is also actions help slow the rate of deterioration by
identifying and addressing specific pavement deficiencies contribute to overall
deterioration

Rehabilitation work undertaken to significantly extend the service life of an

existing pavement. This may include overlays and pre-overlay repairs, and may
include complete removal and reconstruction of the existing pavement, or

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 Pavement Evaluation and Rehabilitation Assignment One

recycling of part of the existing materials. It is the act of repairing portions of an

existing pavement to reset the deterioration process.

B. Select the correct corresponding Maintenance and/or Rehabilitation for

the activities given below.

Maintenance/Rehabilitation
Description of Activities Routine Periodic Urgent
Rehabilitation
Maintenance Maintenance Maintenance
Pot-Hole Patching of

Pavements

Reconstruction of Culverts 

Clearing of Overturned

Trees from Roadway

Construction of Overlays on

Existing Pavements
Replacing Traffic Signs 

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