Activity No.

4
Asphalt Pavement Design
 
A flexible pavement is constructed with 4 in. (10.16 cm) of hot mix asphalt wearing surface, 8
in. (20.32 cm) of emulsion/aggregate-bituminous base, and 8 in. (20.32 cm) of crushed stone
subbase. The subgrade has a soil resilient modulus of 10,000 psi (68.95 MPa), and M 2 and M3
are equal to 1.0 for the materials in the pavement structure. The overall standard deviation is
0.5, the initial PSI is 4.5, and the TSI is 2.5. The daily traffic has 1080 20-kip (89.0-kN) single
axles, 400 24-kip (106.8-kN) single axles, and 680 40-kip (177.9-kN) tandem axles. How many
years would you estimate this pavement would last (i.e., how long before its PSI drops below a
TSI of 2.5) if you wanted to be 99% confident that your estimate was not too high, and if you
wanted to be 95% confident that your estimate was not too high?
SN=a 1 D1 +a2 D 2 M 2 +a3 D3 M 3

where a1 =0.44 , a2=0.30 ,a 3=0.11

D1=4 , D2=8 , D 3=8 , M 3=M 2=1

SN=0.44 ( 4 )+ 0.30 ( 8 )( 1 ) +0.11 ( 8 )( 1 )=5.04 ∈¿

For daily axle loads, refer to the table

SN=5.04 ≈ 5 ; TSI =2.5 ;
20 kip single axle=1.51
24 kip single axle=3.03
40 kiptandem axle=2.08
For the total daily 18-kip,
Daily W 18=1.51 ( 1080 ) +3.03 ( 400 ) +2.08 ( 680 )=4257.2−18 kip ESAL

log 10 W 18=Z R S 0 +9.36 [ log10 ( SN +1) ]−0.20+

log 10 ( ∆2.7PSI ) +2.32 log 10 M R −8.07
1094
0.40+
[
( SN+ 1 )5.19 ]
where S 0=0.5; SN=5.04 ; ∆ PSI =4.5−2.5=2 ; M R =10000 psi

With R=99 % , Z R=−2.326

log 10 W 18=(−2.326 )( 0.5 )+ 9.36 [ log 10 (5.04+1) ] −0.20+

log 10 ( 2.72 ) + 2.32 log 10 ( 10000 )−8.07
1094
0.40+
[
( 5.04+1 )5.19 ]
W 18=7854299
 7854299
years= =5.05 years
365 × 4257.2
For R=95 % , Z R =−1.645

log 10 W 18=(−1.645 ) ( 0.5 ) +9.36 [ log 10(5.04 +1) ]−0.20+

log 10 ( 2.72 ) +2.32 log 10 ( 10000 )−8.07
1094
0.40+
[
( 5.04+1 )5.19 ]
W 18=17203129

17203129
years= =11.07 years
365 × 4257.2