Unit-II - Flexible Pavement Design

22-10-2023
PANDIT DEENDAYAL
ENERGY UNIVERSITY
Pavement Engineering
Unit-II: Flexible Pavement Design
Dr. Ayyanna Habal

Assistant Professor,
Department of Civil Engineering, SOT,
Pandit Deendayal Energy University,
Gandhinagar, Gujarat - 382007,
Ayyanna.Habal@sot.pdpu.ac.in UG 7th Sem, Aug-Dec. 2023
Unit-II: Content ENERGY
Empirical - semi-empirical and theoretical approaches - Design of

highway and airport pavements by IRC – AASHTO Methods -
Mechanistic Empirical design - applications of pavement design
software
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“Pavement Engineering” by Dr. Ayyanna Habal, PDEU, Gandhinagar| UG 7th Sem 2023 | 2
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Recap from last lecture ENERGY
 Control of Capillary Rise

 Desired Position of Capillary cut-off
 Thickness of Capillary cut-off
 Design of Sub-surface drainage layer
 Design and selection of Filter Material
For Prevention
of clogging:
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What is pavement design? ENERGY
Finding optimum thickness of component layers:

subgrade, drainage layer/sub-base, base course,
binder course and surface course.
HMA
Base Course
Sub Base Course
Sub Grade
Embankment
Ground Level
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Historical Developments of
Pavement design
ENERGY
 Prior to the early 1920s the thickness of pavement was

purely based on experience.
 Pavement design has gradually evolved, since then, from
art to science.
 Empirical methods played an important role till recently
in pavement design.
 The methods of flexible pavement design can be classified
into five categories.
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Contd… ENERGY
1. Empirical method
– Without soil strength test (Group Index method, 1929)
– With soil strength test (CBR method, 1929)
GI = 0.2 a + 0.005 ac + 0.01 bd Curves A, B, C...correspond to different category of CVPDs

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Group Index method ENERGY
Curves A, B, C...correspond to different category of CVPDs

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Contd… ENERGY
2. Limiting shear failure methods

– Terzagi’s (1943) bearing capacity formula was applied to
determine the pavement thickness
3. Limiting deflection methods

– Pavement thickness was determined by limiting the surface
deflection below an allowable value using Burmister’s (1943) two-
layer theory
4. Regression methods
– Based on pavement performance or road tests (AASHTO, 1961)
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Contd… ENERGY
5. Mechanistic-Empirical methods
– This method of design is based on mechanics of materials that
relates an input, such as a wheel load, to an out put or pavement
response, such as stress or strain.
– Shell method, 1977
– Asphalt Institute method, 1981
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Principle of Flexible Pavement

Design
ENERGY
Basic concept
 Dispersion of load / stresses through flexible pavement layers
 Dispersion of stresses (tensile and compressive) through flexible
pavement layers with stiff bituminous layers
Stress distribution through typical granular layers
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“Pavement Engineering” by Dr. Ayyanna Habal, PDEU, Gandhinagar| UG 7th Sem 2023| 10
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Stress Distribution ENERGY
Truck
HMA Tack Coat

Prime Coat
Road Base Course
Crust
Sub Base Course
45º Sub Grade
Embankment
Ground Level
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Stress-Strain Analysis ENERGY
Analysis and Design of Flexible Pavements
 Analyzed using layer theory which is derived from Boussinesq

theory (Single layer theory).
 Using this layer theory and a structural model, one can find the
solutions for stresses, strains and deflections at any point in a
layered system
 Currently, flexible pavements are designed using empirical
mechanistic methods, in which the allowable number of
repetitions of axle loads for a given pavement configuration is
determined based on the response of the pavement to the action
of these axle loads
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Design of Highway Pavements ENERGY
Factors Affecting Pavement Design
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Historic Development of
Pavements
ENERGY
Pros/Cons:
o Successful for low volume and light weight traffic
o Could not sustain monsoon and heavy traffic loads
o Similar approach for all climatic and traffic conditions
Road Thickness = 0.75-1.5 m
Roman Roads – Soil, Boulders & Stone blocks
• Built with stone blocks of considerable thickness
• Based on Experience and Empirical methods with or without soil strength
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Typical Pavement Composition ENERGY
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Purpose of Pavement Design ENERGY
Scientifically designed to serve:

– High Volume Traffic
– Heavy Axle Loads
– Varying Climatic Conditions
– Availability of Materials (> 6.3 million km Road Network)
– Various Purposes (NH, Airfields, Footpaths, Parking lots etc..)
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Source: Google Images “Pavement Engineering” by Dr. Ayyanna Habal, PDEU, Gandhinagar| UG 7th Sem 2023| 16
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Factors Affecting Design ENERGY
Traffic Materials Climate Failure Criteria
Traffic parameters:
 Vehicle Type & Volume  Asphalt Binder  Rainfall  Rutting
 Axle Type and Config.  Aggregates  Temperature  Fatigue
 Axle loads  Subgrade Soil  Freeze – Thaw  Reliability
 Number of Axle Repetitions  Additives  Drainage
Most Critical Factors: Traffic and Subgrade Soil
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Contd… ENERGY
 Various Factors:
o Traffic
o Subgrade soil
o Failure criteria
o Materials in different layers
o Environmental factors (Temperature, Rainfall, Freeze and
Thaw, etc..)
o Surface and Sub-surface drainage characteristics
Most Critical Factors:

o Traffic
o Subgrade soil
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Traffic
Traffic
Pavement Thickness
ENERGY
• Traffic parameters:
o Vehicle Type
o Axle Type and Configuration
o Axle loads
o Number of axle repetitions
Vehicle Type
?? ???
Gross weight less than 3.1 ton Gross weight greater than 3.1 ton
Highway Infrastructure Design or Pavement Structure Design?
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“Pavement
Source: https://www.vecteezy.com/ Engineering” by Dr. Ayyanna Habal, PDEU, Gandhinagar| UG 7th Sem 2023| 20
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Axle Type and Configuration ENERGY
Dual Axle Truck
All these trucks cause

similar damage to a
pavement?
Tandem Axle
Truck Count Axles
Multi-Axle Truck
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Axle Loads ENERGY
Is it fair to count as just one axle in both cases?

70 kN 110 kN
80 kN
Standard Axle
Single axle with dual wheels carrying a load of 80 kN (8.2 tones) is

defined as “Standard Axle”
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Axle Load Survey ENERGY

[To Capture Overloading Effect]
Legal Axle Load Limits & Equivalent Axle

Load Factor (EALF)-Fourth Power Rule
6.0 t
Single Axle with Single Wheel

EALF = (Axle Load in ton/6.5)4
24.0 t
19.0 t
10.2 t
Single Axle with Dual Wheels Tandem Axle with Dual Wheels Tridem Axle with Dual Wheels
EALF = (Axle Load in ton/8)4 EALF = (Axle Load in ton/14.8)4 EALF = (Axle Load in ton/24)4
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Axle Load Survey ENERGY

[To Capture Overloading Effect]
A vehicle can have combinations of different axle!
How to convert it into equivalent standard axle?
Axle Type Load (t) EALF
Single Axle with single wheel 5 0.350 This one truck = 12.88 times
standard axle, i.e.,
Single axle with dual wheel 14 9.378 VDF=12.88
Tridem axle with dual wheel 32 3.160

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Cumulative Standard Axle

Repetitions
ENERGY
𝟑𝟔𝟓∗[ 𝟏 𝒓 𝒏 𝟏]
N= ∗ 𝑨∗𝑫∗𝑭
𝒓
N = Cumulative number of standard axles repetitions

r = Annual growth rate in decimal
n = Design life in years
A= Average daily traffic (Only commercial vehicles per day-CVPD)
D = Lane Distribution Factor
F = Vehicle Damage Factor (VDF)
Pavement Thickness
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Ref: IRC 37:2018 “Pavement Engineering” by Dr. Ayyanna Habal, PDEU, Gandhinagar| UG 7th Sem 2023| 25
Materials ENERGY
Material properties for designing of a pavement
Subgrade CBR
 Bituminous layers
 Granular layer Elastic modulus,
 Sub-base layer Poisson ratio
 Subgrade
What is the use of material properties?

To conduct stress and strain analysis
using IITPAVE Software
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Subgrade Soil
Subgrade Soil ENERGY
 Soil is non-homogeneous, mixture of minerals, organic, porous

material
 Soil subgrade is part of the pavement structure and in embankment
construction
 Properties greatly influenced by moisture, density and compaction
 A number of pavement failure is attributed to soil failures
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Desirable Properties of
Subgrade Soil
ENERGY
Stability: Adequate support to resist permanent settlement

under superimposed loads
 Incompressibility: Minimum variation in volume with
variation in water ensures minimum differential expansion
 Durability: Should retain desired sub-grade support even
after weathering
 Good drainage: Essential to avoid excessive moisture
retention and to reduce the potential frost action
 Ease of compaction: Ensures higher dry density and
strength with minimal compaction effort
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Laboratory Tests ENERGY
To understand soil characteristics
 Liquid Limit
To understand Performance of Soil  Plastic Limit Atterberg
Limits
 Plasticity Index
 Free Swelling Index – Quality control
 Gradation (wet sieve analysis)
 CBR – Strength  Proctor Density
 UCS – Strength
 DCP – Field QC
 Mr– Pavement Design
 Flexural Strength – Strength of stabilized soil
 Durability - Performance of stabilized soil
 Permeability – Drainage indicator
 Plate Load Test – Strength indicator
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Requirements ENERGY
 Embankment - Soil with free swelling index > 50 % should NOT be

used as a fill material
 Clay with LL > 50% and PL > 25% is unsuitable for embankment
 Maximum Density requirement for embankment and subgrade
materials
 Embankment : not less than 16 kN/m3
 Subgrade and shoulders: not less than 17.5 kN/m3
 Compaction requirement for embankment and subgrade materials
 Embankment : not less than 95% of MDD
 Subgrade and shoulders: not less than 97% of MDD
 Layer Thickness:
 Embankment: not more than 200 mm when 80-100 kN static roller is used
 Not more than 250 mm when vibratory roller is used
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Source: MoRTH “Pavement Engineering” by Dr. Ayyanna Habal, PDEU, Gandhinagar| UG 7th Sem 2023| 31
California Bearing Ratio (CBR) ENERGY
 Developed by California Division of Highways in 1929.

 CBR is the ratio of load sustained by the soil sample to the load sustained by the
standard crushed stones at the same penetration.
 A higher CBR value indicates a stiffer soil (high strength)
No Correction Required
Corrected 5mm Penetration
Corrected 2.5mm Penetration
Correction for concave upward shape
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Pavement Crust Based on Traffic and

Subgrade Strength
ENERGY
• In-short, Strength of subgrade soil in saturated condition effects the

pavement design
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Pavement Crust Based on Traffic and

Subgrade Strength
ENERGY
This is not the end of pavement design

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Ref: IRC 37:2018 “Pavement Engineering” by Dr. Ayyanna Habal, PDEU, Gandhinagar| UG 7th Sem 2023| 34
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Modulus of Materials used in

Pavement layer
ENERGY
 Subgrade
E (MPa) = 10 * CBR, if CBR<5% and
= 17.6 *(CBR)0.64 for CBR > 5%
 Granular subbase and base
E2 = E3*0.2*h0.45
E2 = Composite modulus of sub-base and base (MPa),
E3 = Modulus of subgrade (MPa), h = Thickness of granular layers (mm)
 Modulus of HMA Layer
Mix Type Temperature (C) (AAPT)
20 25 30 35 40
BC and DBM - VG 10 2300 2000 1450 1000 800
BC and DBM - VG 30 3500 3000 2500 1700 1250
BC and DBM - VG 40 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000
BC and DBM - Modified Bitumen 5700 3800 2400 1650 1300
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“Pavement
(*AAPT: Annual Average Pavement Temperature)Engineering” by Dr. Ayyanna Habal, PDEU, Gandhinagar| UG 7th Sem 2023| 35
Environment ENERGY
• Temperature
• Relationship between air and pavement temperature
• Mp = 1.05 Ma+5 (C)
– Ma = Average monthly air temperature
– Mp = Avg. Monthly pavement temperature
• Moisture
• Effect on subgrade performance
• Moisture damage (aggregate-asphalt bond)
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Contd… ENERGY
 Rainfall
• Drainage design (GSB)
 Frost-Heave
• Change in strength of subgrade (Freeze – Thaw)
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Failure Criteria ENERGY
Rutting
Rutting can be either due to permanent deformation
of bituminous layer or subgrade/aggregate.
Insufficient compaction, material quality, excess

load, moisture
Fatigue Cracking
Fatigue cracking is in bituminous layer, excessive
load, repetition, poor bonding, less thickness
Major Failures of Flexible Pavements

• Fatigue Cracking
• Rutting
• Low Temperature Cracking
• Loss of Friction
• Drainage Damaged
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Rutting and Cracking –

Mechanism
ENERGY
Fatigue Cracking
Rutting
80% of reliability level
80% of reliability level
High vertical strain, less number of traffic,
more rutting
t
c
Critical strains: Horizontal tensile strain at bottom of HMA layer,

Vertical compressive strain top of subgrade layer
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Contd… ENERGY
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Rutting Failure Model ENERGY
If traffic is given you can estimate allowable strain.
4.5337
1 8
N R  4.156  10   Allowable > Actual strain - Safe
 c 
NR = No. of cumulative standard axles to produce 20 mm rutting
εc = Vertical subgrade strain
High vertical strain, less number of traffic, more rutting
What is actual strain?

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Fatigue Cracking Model ENERGY
If traffic and bituminous mix ‘E’ given you can estimate allowable strain.
3.89 0.854
1 4 1
N f  2.21 10    E  Allowable > actual strain - Safe
t 
Nf = No. of cumulative standard axles to produce 20% cracked surface area
εt = Tensile strain at the bottom of Bituminous Concrete layer
E = Elastic Modulus of Bituminous Surface (MPa), check IRC 37 table
E more = Stiff mix = less number of standard axle, quick fatigue cracking
E less = Soft mix = high fatigue life but may fail in rutting
High horizontal tensile strain, less number of traffic, more fatigue cracking
What is actual strain?
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How to find actual strain? ENERGY
Wheel Load, p
E1, 1, h1
E2, 2, h2
E3, 3, h3 = 
• Elastic layer theory is the most popular structural model being used for
the analysis of flexible pavements
• Stresses, strains and deflections at any point in any layer can be computed
• Each layer is characterized by its elastic modulus (E), Poisson’s ratio (µ)
and thickness (h)
IITPAVE – a software to estimate stress, strain, and deformations

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Layered Systems ENERGY
One Layer System

 Boussinesq method –Point load
 Boussinesq method –Circular load
Three Layer System
 Foster and Ahlvin (1954) - for Poisson ratio= 0.5
 Fox and Acum, -Fox’s Solutions
 Ahlvinand Ulery (1962) – for any Poisson ratio
Multi-Layer System
Two Layer System

 Burmister approach
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Recap from last lecture ENERGY
 Factors Affecting Pavement Design

 Environmental
 Temperature
 Rainfall
 Moisture
 Frost-Heave
 Failure Criteria
 Rutting Rutting Fatigue Cracking
 Fatigue/Cracking
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Normal and Shear Stresses ENERGY
1. Normal Stresses:
– Vertical, Radial and Tangential
Direction
– Total 3 normal stress
2. Shear Stresses:
– On each face for vertical, radial
and tangential plane
– Total 6 shear stresses
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Computation of Strains ENERGY
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Analysis of Multi-layered
Flexible Pavements
ENERGY
Software
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Pavement Design Process ENERGY
Find Expected Number of

Std. Axle Repetitions over design
period from Traffic Analysis
Compute Allowable Strains Input

For Std. Axle Repetitions over design  Failure Criteria
Period Using Distress Models  Reliability
Assume Pavement Configuration & Input

Compute Actual Strains  Material Properties
Using IITPAVE  Critical strain points
Compare Allowable and Actual strains
No
Satisfactory?
Yes
Optimize the design Final Design
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Design of Flexible Pavement
 Step 1: Measure CBR of Subgrade soil Is selecting thickness is sufficient?

 Step 2: Find expected commercial traffic (In terms of MSA repetitions)
 Step 3: Select the thickness corresponding to CBR and traffic from graphs given in IRC 37
How do you ensure that the designed pavement composition is safe in rutting and
fatigue cracking?
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Design of Flexible Pavement
 Step 1: Measure CBR of Subgrade soil Is selecting thickness is sufficient?

 Step 2: Find expected commercial traffic (In terms of MSA repetitions)
 Step 3: Select the thickness corresponding to CBR and traffic from graphs given in IRC 37
 Step 4: Check the adequacy of selected thickness by comparing critical strains
Critical stress locations in flexible pavement

ENERGY
Critical strain: Horizontal tensile strain at bottom of HMA layer,

Vertical compressive strain top of subgrade layer
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Fatigue Cracking Model

(IRC 37-2018)
If traffic ‘msa’ and bituminous mix ‘E’ given
you can estimate allowable strain.
3.89 0.854
1 4 1
N f  2.21 10   E
For 80% of reliability level
t   
Allowable > actual strain - Safe
Nf = No. of cumulative standard axles to produce 20% cracked surface area

εt = Tensile strain at the bottom of Bituminous Concrete layer
E = Elastic Modulus of Bituminous Surface (MPa)
Rutting Failure Model

(IRC 37-2018)
If traffic ‘msa’ is given you can estimate
allowable strain.
4.5337
1 8 For 80% of reliability level
N R  4.1656 10  
 c  Allowable > actual strain - Safe
NR = No. of cumulative standard axles to produce 20 mm rutting

εc = Vertical strain in the subgrade
Then, what is actual strain and how to find it?
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How to find actual strain?
Wheel Load, p
E1, 1, h1
E2, 2, h2
E3, 3, h3 = 
• Elastic layer theory is the most popular structural model being used for the analysis
of flexible pavements
• Stresses, strains and deflections at any point in any layer can be computed
• Each layer is characterized by its elastic modulus (E), Poisson’s ratio (µ) and
thickness (h)
IRC 37: Gives IITPAVE – a software to estimate stress, strain
Example- Flexible Pavement Design
Design a flexible pavement 25 MSA traffic, CBR of subgrade: 8%.

VG30/VG40 grade binder, annual average pavement temperature: 35
C, bituminous mix resilient modulus: 1700/3000 MPa
1. Calculate design traffic: 𝑁 = 25 𝑚𝑠𝑎
2. Find allowable tensile and compressive strain (assuming 80% reliability)
. .
1 1 .
𝑁 = 2.21 × 10 × × 1
𝜀 𝐸 𝑁 = 4.1656 × 10 ×
𝜀
𝐸: 1700 𝑀𝑃𝑎 𝐵𝑇 𝑙𝑎𝑦𝑒𝑟
𝜀 = 281 micro-strain 𝐸: 3000 𝑀𝑃𝑎 𝐵𝑇 𝑙𝑎𝑦𝑒𝑟
𝜀 = 549 micro-strain 𝜀 = 248 micro-strain
𝜀 = 549 micro-strain
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3. Select appropriate plate/chart for CBR

(Corresponding to CBR: 8%)
(25 MSA, 8% CBR)
1. Proposed pavement composition 2. Proposed pavement composition

(20 MSA) (30 MSA)
- GSB: 200 mm - GSB: 200 mm
- WMM: 250 mm - WMM: 250 mm
- DBM: 85 mm - DBM: 100 mm
- BC: 40 mm - BC: 40 mm
VG30/VG40 Grade Bitumen
Material Properties - IRC 37-2012
• Subgrade  Poisson’s ratio = 0.35, 0.35 and 0.45

• Elastic modulus, Poisson ratio for BT, Granular material (GSB and
Mr = 10× (%CBR) for %CBR < 5% and WMM), and Subgrade soil,
respectively as per IRC 37-2012.
Mr = 17.6× (%CBR)0.64 for %CBR > 5%.
𝑀 = 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑚𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑙𝑢𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑢𝑏𝑔𝑎𝑟𝑑𝑒 (𝑀𝑃𝑎) Proposed pavement composition

(60 MSA, 8% CBR). VG30/VG40,
• Aggregate CBR: 8%
• Elastic modulus, Poisson ratio - GSB: 200 mm
.
• 𝑀 = 0.2 × ℎ +ℎ ×𝑀 - WMM: 250 mm
Where, ℎ = 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑐𝑘𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑊𝑀𝑀 𝑙𝑎𝑦𝑒𝑟 𝑚𝑚 , - DBM: 100 mm/85 mm
ℎ = 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑐𝑘𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝐺𝑆𝐵 𝑙𝑎𝑦𝑒𝑟 𝑚𝑚 , - BC: 40 mm
Subgrade: 67 MPa,
Aggregate: 208 Mpa
• Hot Mix Asphalt (Bituminous Layer) BT: 1700/3000 MPa
• Elastic modulus, Poisson ratio (See table below)
Temperature °C
Mix type
20 25 30 35 40
BC and DBM for VG10 bitumen 2300 2000 1450 1000 800
BC and DBM for Modified Bitumen

5700 3800 2400 1650 1300
(IRC: SP: 53-2010)
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Click on IITPAVE Software Installed on

Your Computer
IITPAVE – IRC37-2012
Analysis of Flexible Pavements
Software Interface
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IITPAVE – Symbols
Data Input Window - IITPAVE
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Example - Output
 Check for: Allowable > actual strain - Safe

X Check for: Allowable < actual strain – Unsafe - Redesign
Example IITPAVE
Example 1:
Calculate the critical strains (@bottom of BT layer and @ top of subgrade) in following
pavement section using IITPAVE software and compare actual strains with allowable strains.
Also, comment on results
- GSB: 200 mm
• Single wheel load : 20 kN
- WMM: 250 mm
• Tire pressure: 0.7 MPa
- DBM: 85 mm
• Contact radius : 95.4 mm
80 kN - BC: 40 mm
• Center to center spacing dual wheel: 310 mm
Calculate stress and strain at following four locations:

1. z = 125 mm, r = 0 125 mm BT
2. z =125 mm, r = 155 mm (E=1700 MPa, Mu=0.35)
3. z = 575 mm, r = 0
450 mm Granular layer
4. z = 575 mm, r = 155 mm (E=208 MPa, Mu=0.35)
Allowable strain
Fatigue: 281 micro-strain Compacted subgrade
(E=67 MPa, Mu=0.45)
Rutting: 549 micro-strain
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Allowable strain Actual strain

Fatigue: 281 micro-strain Fatigue: 308 micro-strain
Rutting: 549 micro-strain Rutting: 346 micro-strain
Actual Fatigue > Allowable: Not SAFE
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Effects of BT Thickness
Example IITPAVE
Example 2: Increase DBM from 85 to 100 mm

pavement section using IITPAVE software and compare actual strains with allowable. Also,
comment on results
• Single wheel load : 20 kN - GSB: 200 mm
• Tire pressure: 0.7 MPa - WMM: 250 mm
• Contact radius : 95.4 mm - DBM: 100 mm
• Center to center spacing dual wheel: 310 mm 80 kN - BC: 40 mm

1. z = 140 mm, r = 0
140mm BT
2. z =140 mm, r = 155 mm (E=1700 MPa, Mu=0.35)
3. z = 590 mm, r = 0
4. z = 590 mm, r = 155 mm 450 mm Granular layer
(E=208 MPa, Mu=0.35)
Allowable strain
(E=67 MPa, Mu=0.45)
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Allowable > Actual: SAFE
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Effects of VG40: 3000 MPa
Example IITPAVE
Example 3:
pavement section using IITPAVE software and compare actual strains with allowable. Also,
comment on results
• Single wheel load : 20 kN - GSB: 200 mm
• Tire pressure: 0.7 MPa - WMM: 250 mm
• Contact radius : 95.4 mm 80 kN - DBM: 85 mm
• Center to center spacing dual wheel: 310 mm - BC: 40 mm

1. z = 125 mm, r = 0 125 mm BT
(E=3000 MPa, Mu=0.35)
2. z =125 mm, r = 155 mm
3. z = 575 mm, r = 0 450 mm Granular layer
4. z = 575 mm, r = 155 mm (E=208 MPa, Mu=0.35)
Allowable strain
(E=67 MPa, Mu=0.45)
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Allowable> Actual: SAFE
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Summary of Examples
Design a flexible pavement 25 MSA traffic, CBR of subgrade: 8%. VG30/VG40 grade binder,
annual average pavement temperature: 35 C, bituminous mix resilient modulus: 1700/3000 MPa
Section 1 Section 2 Section 3

(VG30: 1700 MPa) (VG30: 1700 MPa) (VG40: 3000 MPa)
- GSB: 200 mm - GSB: 200 mm - GSB: 200 mm

- WMM: 250 mm - WMM: 250 mm - WMM: 250 mm
- DBM: 85 mm - DBM: 100 mm - DBM: 85 mm
- BC: 40 mm - BC: 40 mm - BC: 40 mm
Allowable strain Allowable strain Allowable strain

Fatigue: 281 micro-strain Fatigue: 281 micro-strain Fatigue: 248 micro-strain
Rutting: 549 micro-strain Rutting: 549 micro-strain Rutting: 549 micro-strain
Actual strain Actual strain Actual strain

Fatigue: 308 micro-strain Fatigue: 277 micro-strain Fatigue: 232 micro-strain
Rutting: 346 micro-strain Rutting: 323 micro-strain Rutting: 314 micro-strain
NOT SAFE SAFE SAFE
ENERGY
Flexible Pavement Design

by AASHTO Method
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What is AASHTO ? ENERGY
 American Association of State Highway and Transportation

Officials (AASHTO) was formed on December 12, 1914
 The AASHTO is a standards setting body which publishes

 Specifications,
 Test protocols, and
 Guidelines that are used in highway design and construction
throughout the USA.
 The purpose of AASHTO is to maintain a coordination
between state departments of transportations (DoT).
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Design By AASHTO Method ENERGY
 The AASHTO method was developed based on the findings from

the AASHO road test.
 The design is based on identifying a flexible pavement structural
number (SN) to withstand the projected level of axle load traffic
 The design of flexible pavement by AASHTO method considers
the performance during the design life.
 The pavement performance is defined in terms of PSI on a scale
of 0 to 5, considering 0 as the rating value for a failed pavement
and 5 for pavement in excellent condition.
 PSI Terminal value of 2.5 for major highways and 2.0 for
secondary roads are considered failure criteria.
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Design Considerations ENERGY
• The AASHTO method of design includes consideration

of the following items:
(1) Pavement performance,
(2) Traffic,
(3) Roadbed soil,
(4) Materials of construction,
(5) Environment,
(6) Drainage,
(7) Reliability,
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Pavement performance ENERGY
 Present Serviceability Index (PSI)
PSI  5.41  1.80 log 1  SV  0.9 C  P  

SV = mean of the slope variance in the two-wheel paths (measured with the
profilometer)
C, P = measures of cracking and patching in the pavement surface
C = total linear feet of Class 3 and Class 4 cracks per 1000 ft2 of pavement area.
A Class 3 crack is defined as opened or spalled (at the surface) to a width of
0.25 in. or more over a distance equal to at least one-half the crack length. A
Class 4 is defined as any crack which has been sealed.
P = expressed in terms of ft2 per 1000 ft2 of pavement surfacing.
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Design Parameters ENERGY
Traffic
 The design procedures are based on cumulative expected 18-kip
(80 kN ) equivalent single-axle load (ESAL)
Material
 Resilient modulus (Mr) is used to characterize the roadbed soil

and other structural layers.
 Mr is used to estimate the structural layer coefficients (a) of

different pavement materials in the AASHTO Guide.
 Mr can be measured in the laboratory at different stress states

for unbound aggregate materials and at different temperatures
for asphalt concrete mixtures.
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Contd… ENERGY
Environmental Effects
 The AASHTO design equations were based on the results of
traffic tests over a two-year period .
 The long-term effects of temperature and moisture on the
reduction of serviceability were not included
 The environmental loss is a summation of losses from both
swelling and frost heave.
 The chart may be used to estimate the serviceability loss at any
intermediate period
 Serviceability
Initial and terminal serviceability indexes must be established to compute the
change in serviceability
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Contd… ENERGY
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Contd… ENERGY
Reliability
 The level of reliability to be used for design should
increase as the volume of traffic.
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1993 AASHTO Equation

for Flexible Pavements
ENERGY
 PSI 
log10  
log10 W18   Z R  So  9.36  log10 SN  1  0.20   4.5  1.5   2.32  log M   8.07
10 R
1094
0.40 
SN  15.19
Where,
ZR = Standard Normal Variate for a given reliability (R%),
S0 = Overall standard deviation.
W18 (loading) Predicted number of ESALs over the pavement’s life.

SN (structural number)
Abstract number expressing structural strength
SN = a1D1 + a2D2m2 + a3D3m3 + …
ΔPSI (change in present serviceability index)

Change in serviceability index over the useful pavement life
MR (subgrade resilient modulus) Typically from 3,000 to 30,000 psi
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Illustrative Example ENERGY
Example:
Given W18 = 5 x 106 , R = 95%, So=0.35, MR = 5000 psi (34 .5
MPa), and Change in PSI = 1 .9, Determine SN.
Solution:
As shown by the arrows in Design chart (Figure-3.1), starting
from R = 95%, a series of lines are drawn through So = 0 .35,
W18 = 5 x 106 , MR = 5000 psi (34.5 MPa), and PSI = 1.9 and
finally intersect SN at 5 .0, so SN = 5 .0.
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ENERGY
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Selection of Layer Thickness ENERGY
 The following equation provides the basis for converting

SN into actual thickness of surfacing, base and subbase:
SN = a1 D1 + a2 D2 m2 + a3 D3 m3
Where,
– a1, a2, a3 = layer coefficients representative of surface, base and
subbase courses respectively
– D1, D2, D3 = actual thickness (in inches) of surface, base and
subbase courses respectively
– m2, m3 = drainage coefficients for base and subbase layers
respectively
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Drainage Coefficient ENERGY
• Depending on the quality of drainage and the availability

of moisture, drainage coefficients m2 and m3 should be
applied to granular bases and sub-bases to modify the layer
coefficients
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Contd… ENERGY
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Illustrative Example ENERGY
• If predicted ESAL = 18*106 , R = 95%, So=0.35, and PSI =

2 .1, select thicknesses D1 , D2 , and D3 .
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ENERGY
Solution
• With MR = E2 = 30,000 psi (207 MPa),
from design chart, we get SN1 = 3 .2
Then for Dl >3 .2/0 .42 = 7 .6 in . (193 mm) ; use DI = 8 in . (203 mm) .
• With MR = E3 = 11,000 psi (76 MPa),

And from design chart, SN2 = 4.5
D2 > (4.5 — 0 .42 x 8)/(0 .14 x 1 .2) = 6 .8 in. (173 mm) ; use D2 = 7 in . (178
mm)
• With MR = 5700 psi (39.3 MPa),

And from design chart, SN3 = 5.6
D3 > (5.6 — 0.42 x 8-0.14x7x1.20)/(0.08 x 1.2) = 11.1 in. (282 mm) ;
use D3 = 11.5 in . (292 mm)
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Summary ENERGY
 Pavement Design
 Historical Developments
 Different Methods
 Empirical method
 Limiting shear failure methods
 Limiting deflection methods
 Regression methods
 Mechanistic-Empirical methods
 Principle of Flexible Pavement Design
 Stress distribution
 Stress-Strain Analysis
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References ENERGY
1. Huang, Y.H. “Pavement Analysis and Design,” 2nd Edition, 2004, Pearson Prentice Hall,
USA, ISBN: 0-13-142473-4.
2. Yoder and Witczak, Principles of Pavement Design, John Wiley and Sons
3. Rajib B. Mallick and Tahar El-Korchi, Pavement Engineering – Principles and Practice,
CRC Press (Taylor and Francis Group)
4. W. Ronald Hudson, Ralph Haas and Zeniswki, Modern Pavement Management, Mc Graw
Hill and Co.
5. IRC: 37-2018, “Guidelines for the design of flexible pavements”, IRC publication 37, Indian
Roads Congress (IRC), New Delhi, 2018.
6. IRC:SP –72: “Guidelines for the design of flexible pavements for low volume rural roads”,
Indian Roads Congress (IRC), New Delhi.
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Thank you! ENERGY
Any Questions…?
Dr. Ayyanna Habal

Assistant Professor,
Dept. of Civil Engineering,
SOT, PDEU, Gandhinagar.
Ayyanna.Habal@sot.pdpu.ac.in
https://sites.google.com/view/ayyannahabal/home
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48

Unit-II - Flexible Pavement Design

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Unit-II - Flexible Pavement Design

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22-10-2023

Dr. Ayyanna Habal

Unit-II: Content ENERGY

Empirical - semi-empirical and theoretical approaches - Design of

Recap from last lecture ENERGY

 Control of Capillary Rise

What is pavement design? ENERGY

Finding optimum thickness of component layers:

Sub Base Course

 Prior to the early 1920s the thickness of pavement was

GI = 0.2 a + 0.005 ac + 0.01 bd Curves A, B, C...correspond to different category of CVPDs

Group Index method ENERGY

Curves A, B, C...correspond to different category of CVPDs

2. Limiting shear failure methods

3. Limiting deflection methods

Principle of Flexible Pavement

Stress distribution through typical granular layers

Stress Distribution ENERGY

HMA Tack Coat

45º Sub Grade

Stress-Strain Analysis ENERGY

Analysis and Design of Flexible Pavements

 Analyzed using layer theory which is derived from Boussinesq

Design of Highway Pavements ENERGY

Factors Affecting Pavement Design

Typical Pavement Composition ENERGY

Purpose of Pavement Design ENERGY

Scientifically designed to serve:

Factors Affecting Design ENERGY

Traffic Materials Climate Failure Criteria

Most Critical Factors:

Axle Type and Configuration ENERGY

Dual Axle Truck

All these trucks cause

Axle Loads ENERGY

Is it fair to count as just one axle in both cases?

Single axle with dual wheels carrying a load of 80 kN (8.2 tones) is

Axle Load Survey ENERGY

Legal Axle Load Limits & Equivalent Axle

Single Axle with Single Wheel

Axle Load Survey ENERGY

How to convert it into equivalent standard axle?

Axle Type Load (t) EALF

Tridem axle with dual wheel 32 3.160

Cumulative Standard Axle

N = Cumulative number of standard axles repetitions

Material properties for designing of a pavement

What is the use of material properties?

Subgrade Soil ENERGY

 Soil is non-homogeneous, mixture of minerals, organic, porous

Stability: Adequate support to resist permanent settlement

Laboratory Tests ENERGY

To understand soil characteristics

 Embankment - Soil with free swelling index > 50 % should NOT be

California Bearing Ratio (CBR) ENERGY

 Developed by California Division of Highways in 1929.

Corrected 5mm Penetration

Corrected 2.5mm Penetration

Correction for concave upward shape

Pavement Crust Based on Traffic and

• In-short, Strength of subgrade soil in saturated condition effects the

Pavement Crust Based on Traffic and

This is not the end of pavement design