Chapter 28

Rehabilitation Design Procedures

TYPES OF REHABILITATION 28.1

With the maturation of the highway system in many countries, the emphasis in highway
construction is shifting from new facilities to the maintenance and restoration of existing
facilities. Thus, methods for the design of rehabilitation of existing pavements are now
critical in pavement management. As pointed out in previous chapters, pavement
management covers the full life- cycle of the pavement, including the initial performance
period following rehabili- tation. The methods described in this chapter are subsystems of a
project level pavement management program. Such rehabilitation subsystems are used in
SAMP, RPS, and FPS among other project level pavement methodologies. The life-cycle of a
pavement involves several types of behavior and different levels. The initial stage is typified
by good performance with low maintenance re- quired. As the pavement ages, the need for
maintenance increases as more of the pavement surface is affected by distress that affects
the ride quality. At some point in the pavement's life, the condition of the surface
deteriorates to the point where routine maintenance is no longer cost-effective and major
treatment is needed to restore the quality of the pavement. The most economical
rehabilitation treatment will depend on the condition of the pavement, anticipated traffic
loads, and environmental conditions

Rehabilitarion Design Procedure ditions. Rehabilitation design is a complicated process

because the engincer is faced with several options and sometimes with incomplete data on
the pavement section.) The AASHTO Guide for the Design of Pavement Structures states: LEE
Therefore, a considerable amount of both analysis and engincering judgement must be
applied to cach project. Due to state of the art limitations relative to the entire rehabilitation
process, a definite need exists for continuous feedback from agencies on the performance of
various rehabilitation methods. Figure 28.1 shows the overall process for the selection of a
rehabilitation strategy [AASHTO 86). This is a three-step process: define the problem,
examine potential solutions, and select the preferred solution. Similarities should be noted
between these steps and the systems method as described in Chapter 2. The problem
definition process essentially establishes the environment for solutions. Defining the
problem requires data collection and analysis of the condition of the existing pavernent.
Generating potential solutions requires generating and analyzing alternative approaches to
the problem of rehabilitating the pavement. Based on the results of the preliminary analy-
sis, the detailed design is performed and the solution implemented. The AASHTO Guide for
the Design of Pavement Structures broadly classifies pavement rehabilitation into methods
for overlay, non-overlay methods, and complete reconstruction. The design procedures for
new pavements are used for complete re- construction projecis.COverlay design methods
determine the amount of additional pavement structure required to serve the future traffic)
The major non-overlay methods include: 1. Full depth repair 2. Partial depth patching 3.
Joint and crack sealing 4. Subsealing and undersealing 5. Grinding and milling 6. Subdrainage
7. Pressure relief joints 8. Load transfer restoration 9. Surface treatments