Highway & Traffic Engineering

ECG 564

Design of Flexible Pavement

EKARIZAN SHAFFIE

FACULTY OF CIVIL ENGINEERING, UiTM

 Malaysian Design Method
Based on AASHTO Guide for Design of Pavement
Structures:

1) Arahan teknik jalan 5/85

 based on AASHTO road test, developed using multi-layered elastic
theory.
 Develop using multi-layered elastic theory
 Suitable for major roads with heavy and medium traffic

2) Overseas Road Note 31

 based on research
 Cater traffic up to 30MSA in one direction

3) Arahan teknik jalan 5/85 (Revision 2013)

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 1 Arahan teknik jalan 5/85
• Based on AASHTO Guide for Design of Pavement
Structures.
• The thickness design based on the CBR of subgrade and
the total number of 8160kg standard axle application for a
specific design period.
• Data required in the design:-
- Design period, n (JKR suggest to use 10years)
- Class of road (e.g R5, R6)
- Initial average daily traffic, ADT
- Percetage of commercial vehicles, Pc
- Average annual traffic growth, r
- Subgrade CBR
- Terrain condition
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 Design Procedures - ATJ 5/85

STEP 1 : Calculate initial annual commercial vehicles

(Vo) P
V  ADT  0.5  365  c
100
ADT both way 50/50 directional
Percentage of
distribution
commercial vehicles

STEP 2 : Calculate total number of commercial

vehicles of n year
Design period

Vc  V
(1  r ) n
1  (year)

r EC
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Annual growth rate MIX
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 Design Procedures -ATJ 5/85 (cont..)
Equivalent factor
ESA = VC X e

STEP 3 : Calculate the total cumulative

equivalent standard axle load application for
design period.
,e

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 Design Procedures -ATJ 5/85 (cont..)
STEP 4 : Calculate the volume of daily traffic
after n years (1 direction)

Vn  Vi (1  r ) n
Design period
(year)
Initial daily traffic
(1 direction)

STEP 5 : Calculate the maximum 1 way hourly

capacity (veh/h)
c  I  R T Traffic reduction
Ideal hourly EC
Factor (T3.4)
capacity (T3.2) G
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Roadway factor (T3.3) MIX
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Design Procedures -ATJ 5/85 (cont..)

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Design Procedures -ATJ 5/85 (cont..)

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Design Procedures -ATJ 5/85 (cont..)
 STEP 6 : Calculate 24 hours one - way traffic
capacity (veh/day/lane)

C= 10 x c

 STEP 7: Make sure C>Vn

If traffic estimate for the design period exceeds the daily
capacity (C) , then calculate number of year (n) required to
reach daily capacity using formula.

log c / vi
n 24hours oneway
log(1  r ) traffic capacity
c = 10C
Period required
to reach capacity 9
 Design Procedures -ATJ 5/85 (cont..)
 STEP 8 : Obtain the equivalent thickness, TA’
from the nomograph.

10 10
Design Procedures -ATJ 5/85 (cont..)

 STEP 9 : Calculate the thickness for each layer

TA  SN  a1D1  a2 D2  ...  an Dn
where
a1, a2 , ..an are the structural coefficient (refer T3.5)
D1, D2, ..Dn are the layer thickness (refer T3.6)

** TA ≥ TA’ (nomograph)

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Design Procedures -ATJ 5/85 (cont..)

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Design Procedures -ATJ 5/85 (cont..)

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Design Procedures -ATJ 5/85 (cont..)

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Example
Question:
Determine the required thickness for a JKR 05
road based on these data:
Carriageway width = 7.5m Layer Materials:
Shoulder width = 2.0m Surfacing = Asphaltic concrete
ADT, both ways = 6600 Road Base = Wet Mix Macadam
% of commercial vehicles = 15% Sub-base = Sand
Traffic growth rate = 7%
Subgrade CBR = 5%
Terrain = Rolling EC
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Example (cont..)
Solution:

 
Step 1: Vo = 6600 x 0.5 x 365 x 0.15 = 181,000 veh
181000 (1  0.07)10  1
Step 2: Vc   2.50 10 6

0.07
Step 3: Since Pc =15% and JKR 05 road, therefore e = 2.0
(T3.1)
ESA = 2.5 x 106 x 2.0 = 5.0 x 106

Step 4: = 6490 veh/day/lane

6600(1  0.07) 10
Vn 
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Example (cont..)
Solution:
 Check roadway capacity to traffic volume

Step 5: With I=1000 (T3.2), R= 1.0 (T3.3), T =0.77 (T3.4)

 c = 1000 x 1.0 x 0.77 = 770 veh/h

Step 6: C = 770 x 10 = 7700 veh/day/lane

Step 7: C = 7700 > Vn= 6490 Capacity have not been

reached after 10 years..OK!

 Design layer thickness

Step 8: From the nomograph, with ESA = 5.0 x 106, CBR = 5%, the
required TA’ is 26cm EC
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Example (cont..)
Solution:

Step 9:

1st trial:-
Nominate D1=12.5m, D2=18.0m, D3=20.0m
>> TA = SN = (1.0 x 12.5) + (0.32 x 18) + (0.23 x 20) = 22.86 < TA’
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PAVEMENT THICKNESS DESIGN

ATJ 5/85
(revision 2013)
(Manual for the
Structural Design of
Flexible Pavement)
Procedure can be used to
design:

1. New flexible for low volume

roads, consisting of unbound or
new cement stabilized granular
materials

2. New flexible and semi flexible

pavements containing one or
more bound layers

3. New flexible and semi-flexible

heavy duty pavements for severe
loading conditions
INFORMATION NEEDED FOR PAVEMENT DESIGN

1. TYPE and VOLUME of commercial

vehicles for which the pavement
structure is designed
2. DESIGN LIFE
3. SUB-GRADE type and strength
4. Type and properties of PAVING
MATERIALS used
5. Environment to which the
pavement structure will be
exposed
 CONCEPTS

1. Design procedure based

on traditional concepts of
pavement design
2. Based on the assumption
that the following two
strains are critical to
pavement performance
(FIGURE

1. Vertical strain εz on top

of the sub-grade

2. Horizontal strain εt at the

bottom of the lowest
bound pavement course
STEP 1 Development of Design Input
Design
Flexible
Pavement 2 Determine Design Traffic
(Traffic Category)

3 Determine Sub-Grade Strength

(Sub-grade Category)

Select one of the pavement

4 structures from Figure
 Step 1:1 Development of Design Input

1) From traffic count, determine:

• ADT (24 hours per day)
• If traffic count covers time period of 0600 to
2200 hours, multiply the count with 1.2.
• % PCV with un-laden weight > 1.5 tons (PCV) and
break down into vehicle categories.
• Traffic Growth factor (r)

2) From geometric design – number of lanes and terrain

condition (L and T factors)

2) Design Period
• 10 years for low volume and rural road
• 20 years for high volume and urban road
Step 2 Determine Design Traffic
(Traffic Category)
Design traffic (1st year of design period)
ESALY1 (Base Year) = ADT x 365 x PCV x LEF x L x T
ESALY1 = number of ESALs for base year (design lane)
ADT = Average Daily Traffic (one way)
PCV = Percentage of CV (un-laden weight > 1.5 tons)
LEF = Vehicle Load Equivalent Factor (including Tire Factor)
L = Lane Distribution Factor
T = Terrain Factor

If traffic distribution by vehicle type is available:

ESALY1 = [ADTcv1 x LEFcv1 + ADTcv2 x LEFcv2 +…+

ADTcv3 x LEFcv3] x 365 x L x T
 Number of lanes
Number of lanes Lane distribution
(in ONE direction) factor, L

One 1.0
Two 0.9
Three or more 0.7

Type of Terrain
Type of Terrain Terrain factor, T

Flat 1.0
Rolling 1.1
Mountainous/steep 1.3
LEF for various vehicle class
Step 2 Determine Design Traffic (Traffic Category)

Design Traffic (Number of ESALs) for the Design Period

ESAL DES 

ESALY1 x (1  r ) n  1 
r

ESALDES = design traffic for the design lane in one direction

r = annual traffic growth rate factor for design period
n = number of years in design period
Determine traffic category
STEP Determine Sub-Grade Strength
3 (Sub-grade Category)
SG properties and categories

• Min 5% CBR for T1- T5

• If not, at least 0.3 meter of SG shall be replaced
or stabilized to ensure the minimum value is met.
• Large volume traffic T4 and T5, min CBR 12%
 STEP 4 Select one of the pavement structures
from Figure
Determine T and S, CHOOSE from catalogue..
3 types of pavement considered

Conventional flexible pavement with granular

base.

Deep-strength flexible (composite) pavement

with bituminous surface course(s) and a base
stabilized with Portland cement, bituminous
emulsion, or a combination of both.

Full-depth asphalt pavement with bituminous

base course
 STEP 4 Select one of the pavement structures
3 types of pavement considered from Figure

EXAMPLE
Conventional flexible granular base
•Bituminous Surface Course (AC 10
or AC14) : 50 mm
•Bituminous Binder Course/Road
base (AC28) : 130 mm
•Crushed Aggregate RoadBase : 200
mm
•Granular Sub-Base : 200 mm
Conceptual outline of Pavement Structure
•The recommended minimum thickness of pavement layers
as a function of Traffic Category and Sub-grade strength .
T1 : < 1 million ESALs
T2 : 1- 2 million ESALs
T3: 2 -10 million ESALs
T4 : 10 – 30 million ESALs
T5 : > 30 million ESALs
 T5 : > 30 million ESALs
( Polymer Modified Asphalt)
 3 Arahan teknik jalan 5/85 (2013)
TRADITIONAL PAVEMENT WITH
WORK EXAMPLE GRANULAR BASE

Design a road pavement for a 2-lane highway with an

average daily traffic of 2700 vehicles, 16% of which are
commercial vehicles with an un-laden weight >1.5 tons,
traffic growth rate 4% per annum and rolling terrain.
Subgrade CBR: Mean =18.5% with
Standard Deviation of 4.4%

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 Step 1: Development of Design Input

• Traffic one way=1350

• PCV = 16 %
• no detailed break-down of vehicle type
• Assume Commercial traffic (CV) so LEF = 3.7
• Lane Distribution Factor, L = 1.0 (one lane in one direction)
• Terrain Factor, T = 1.1 (rolling)
• Design Life, n = 20 years
• Annual Traffic Growth, r = 4.0%
 Step 2: Determine Design Traffic(Traffic Category)

ESALY1 (Base Year) = ADT x 365 x PCV x LEF x L x T

= 1350 x 365 x 0.16 x 3.7 x 1.0 x 1.1

= 0.321 million

Design Traffic over 20 Years; ESALDES

ESAL DES 

ESALY1 x (1  r ) n  1 
r



0.321 x (1  0.04)10  1 
0.04
= 0.321 x 29.78
= 9.56 million (Traffic Category T3)
 Step 3: Determine Sub-Grade Strength
(Sub-grade Category)

Given
CBR Mean =18.5%
CBR Standard Deviation = 4.4%
Since T3; Probability 85% (Normal Deviate = 1.00)

Characteristic CBR value used for

design;
= 18.5% – 1.00 x 4.4%
= 18.5% – 4.4%
= 14.1%
(Sub-Grade Category SG2)
 Step 4: Select one of the pavement structures from
Figure (T3, SG2)

Conventional flexible granular base

•Bituminous Surface Course (AC 10 or AC14) : 50
mm
•Bituminous Binder Course/Road base (AC28) :
130 mm
•Crushed Aggregate RoadBase : 200 mm
•Granular Sub-Base : 200 mm
Questions?

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