Assignment No.

2: (Pavement Engineering)

• A 4-lane divided interstate highway is to be constructed on a new alignment. Traffic

volume forecasts indicate that the average annual daily traffic (AADT) in both directions
during the first year of operation will be 12000, with the following vehicle mix and axle
loads.

Passenger cars (1000 lb./axle) = 50%

2 axles single unit trucks (5000 lb./axle) = 33%
3 axles single unit trucks (7000 lb./axle) = 17%

The vehicle mix is expected to remain the same throughout the design life of the
pavement. If the expected annual traffic growth rate is 4% for all vehicles, determine the
design ESAL, given a design period of 20 years.

• Projected vehicle mix for a proposed 2-lane rural interstate highway during its first year of
operation is given below. If the first year AADT will be 3000, the annual growth rate is 5 percent
and the design period is 20 years, determine the accumulated ESAL.

Passenger cars = 66%

Single-unit trucks
2 axles, 4 tires = 18%
2 axles, 6 tires = 8%
3 axles or more = 4%
Tractor-semitrailers and combination
3 axles = 3%
4 axles = 1%