DESIGN OF

FLEXIBLE
PAVEMENT
Elements of flexile pavement structure
Design of flexible
pavement
Malaysian Design
Methods (JKR)
Arahan Teknik Jalan 5/85

 Arahan teknik jalan 5/85 manual introduced in 1985.

 This manual is suitable for the design of major roads where the traffic is medium or heavy.
 Date required in the design are
1. Design period, n (JKR suggest to use 10 years)
2. Class of road (e.g R5, R4)
3. Initial average daily traffic, ADT
4. Percentage of commercial vehicles, Pc
5. Average annual traffic growth, r
6. Subgrade CBR
7. Terrain condition
Design process

1. Calculate the initial annual commercial vehicle for one direction

(from the expected year of completion of construction,
onwards)

Vo = ADT x 0.5 x 365 PC/100

where
ADT = Average Daily Traffic
PC= Percentage of commercial vehicles

2.   Calculate the total number for commercial vehicles for the design period in one
direction

Where;
Vo = initial yearly commercial traffic
r = rate of annual traffic growth
x = design life
3. Calculate the total cumulative equivalent standard axle load
application for the design period

ESA = Vc x e;
4.Check daily capacity at the end of the design period
Total one way traffic at the end of x years

Vx = V1(1+r)x

 Maximum one way hourly flow

c=IxRxT

Where;
c is the maximum one way hourly capacity
I is the ideal hourly capacity as in Table 3.6
R is the roadway factor as in Table 3.7
T is the traffic reduction factor in Table 3.8
Assuming hourly capacity, c as 10% of the 24 hrs;thus daily capacity is

C = 10 x c

Where;
C is the 24 hrs. one way traffic capacity
c is the maximum one way hourly capacity

  Check C > Vx

If C > Vx  OK
(capacity will not be exceed at the end of design period)

If C < Vx  Not OK
(capacity will be exceed by the end of design period)

When C < Vx happens, need to reduce design period.

Years required to reach capacity,

5. Determine the subgrade CBR
In the case of varying CBR within a meter depth of subgrade, the mean
CBR is determined as follows:

CBRm = [(h1CBR11/3 + h2CBR21/3+….+hnCBRn1/3)/(1000)]3

Where
CBRm =mean CBR value for that location
CBR1, CBR2, CBRn = CBR value of each layer
h1,h2,hn = thickness of each layer
h1+h2+hn = 1000 mm
6. Obtain the equivalent thickness , TA’ from the nomograph
7. Calculate The thickness for each layers;

TA = a1 D1 + a2 D2 +...+ anDn

where
al,a2 ... an are the structural coefficients of each layer as shown in Table 3.9
D1 D2 ... Dn are the thickness of each layer as shown in Table 3.10, 3.11
and 3.12
Nomograph
 Example

 Determine the required thickness for a JKR 05 road base on these data:

 Carriageway width = 7.5 m

 Shoulder width = 2.0 m
 ADT, both way = 6,600
 Percentage of commercial vehicles = 15%
 Traffic growth rate = 7%
 Subgrade CBR = 5%
 Terrain = rolling
 Surfacing =asphaltic concrete
 Road base = wet mix macadam
 Subbase = sand
Solution


1.   Initial annual commercial traffic for one way  Determine the required thickness for a JKR 05 road
base on these data:
Vo = ADT x 0.5 x 365 PC/100
Vo = 6600 x 0.5 x 365 x 0.15  Carriageway width = 7.5 m
 Shoulder width = 2.0 m
=181,000  ADT, both way = 6,600
 Percentage of commercial vehicles = 15%
 Traffic growth rate = 7%
 Subgrade CBR = 5%
2. Cumulative commercial traffic for the  Terrain = rolling
design period
 Design period = 10 years
 Surfacing =asphaltic concrete
= [181,000 (1+0.07)10-1]/0.07  Road base = wet mix macadam
= 2.5 x 106  Subbase = sand
  Determine the required thickness for a
JKR 05 road base on these data:
3. Since Pc = 15% and JKR 05 road,
therefore e = 2  Carriageway width = 7.5 m
 Shoulder width = 2.0 m
 ADT, both way = 6,600
4. Cumulative equivalent standard
axles for the design life  Percentage of commercial vehicles = 15%
 Traffic growth rate = 7%
 Subgrade CBR = 5%
ESA = Vc x e  Terrain = rolling
 Design period = 10 years
ESA = 2.5 x 106 x 2  Surfacing =asphaltic concrete

= 5.0 x 106
 Road base = wet mix macadam
 Subbase = sand
5. Estimated daily traffic per direction per lane after 10 years;
Vx = V1(1+r)x
= 6600/2 (1+0.07)10
= 6492
7. Maximum hourly
one way traffic flow
c=IxRxT
= 1000 x 1.0 x 0.77
= 770veh/hour/lane
7. Maximum daily capacity per lane per 5. Estimated daily traffic per direction
direction is per lane after 10 years;
Vx = V1(1+r)x
C= 10 x 770 = 7700 veh/day/lane = 6600/2 (1+0.07)10
= 6492
Since 6492<7700, hnce capacity have not
been reached after 10 years
From the nomograph, with ESA = 5 x 106 and CBR = 5%, the required TA’
is 26 cm
 Layer coefficient and minimum thickness

Layer Material Coefficient Minimum

Thickness
(cm)
a1 Asphaltic 1.00 9
concrete
a2 Mechanically 0.32 10
stabilized
crushed
aggregate
a3 sand 0.23 10
 First trial
Nominate D1 =12.5 cm, D2 = 18 cm, D3 = 20 cm
Then, SN = (1.00 x 12.5) + (0.32 x 18) + (0.23 x 20) = 22.86 < TA’…..Not ok

Second trial
Nominate D1 =15 cm, D2 = 20 cm, D3 = 20 cm
Then, SN = (1.00 x 15) + (0.32 x 20) + (0.23 x 20) = 26 =TA’…..Ok
 Taking into consideration the minimum thickness requirements, the pavement
structure then consists of the following thickness

Wearing course = 5 cm
Binder course = 10 cm
Road base = 20 cm
Subbase = 20 cm
Design of flexible
pavement
AASHTO
AASHTO- Design Consideration
Pavement
performance Traffic
Roadbed soils
Materials of (subgrade
construction material)

Environme
nt
Drainage

Reliability
 Pavement Performance = Structural performance is related to the physical condition of the
pavement with respect to factors that have a negative impact on the capability of the pavement to
carry the traffic load.
 Traffic load = different types of vehicles such as cars, buses, single-unit trucks, and multiple-unit
trucks expected to use the facility during its lifetime This is usually referred to as the equivalent
single-axle load (ESAL).
 Roadbed soil = The 1993 AASHTO guide also uses the resilient modulus (Mr) of the soil to
define its property.
 Material of construction = subbase, base, surface materials
 Environment = Temperature and rainfall are the two main environmental factors used in
evaluating pavement performance in the AASHTO method
 Drainage = The effect of drainage on the performance of flexible pavements is considered in the
1993 guide with respect to the effect water has on the strength of the base material and roadbed
soil
 Reliability = Reliability design levels (R%), which determine assurance levels that the pavement
section designed using the procedure will survive for its design period, have been developed for
different types of highways.
AASHTO Method
1. Traffic in ESAL Calculation

ESALi = fd x Grn x AADT x 365 x Ni x FEi

Where
ESAL = equivalent single axle load
fd = Design lane factor
Grn = growth factor
AADT = annual average daily traffic
Ni = number of axle
Fei = load equivalency factor for axle category
2. Roadbed Soils (subgrade materials)
AASHTO used the subgrade Mr to define its property.

3. Materials of construction
Layer of coefficient
Asphalt concrete surface course (a1)
Bituminous treated base (a2)
Granular base (a2)
Granular subbase (a3)
Cement treated bases (a2).
4. Overall So
Overall standard deviation that accounts for standard deviation (or variation)
in materials & construction, chance variation in traffic prediction, and normal
variation in pavement performance.

So = 0.45 for flexible pavement (0.40 - 0.50)

So = 0.35 for rigid pavements (0.30 -0.40).
5. Drainage
Quality of drainage: measured by the length of time it takes water to be
removed from base or subbase up to (50% of saturation).
6. Pavement Thickness Design, SN
Once SN is determined, it is necessary to determine the thickness of various
Layers.

SN = a1 D1 + a2 D2 m2 + a3 D3 m3

ai : Coefficient of layer i
Di : Thickness of layer i
mi : Drainage Modifying Factor for layer i.
Example 1
Solution
Example 2
A flexible pavement for an urban interstate highway is to be designed using the 1993
AASHTO guide procedure to carry a design ESAL of 1 x 106. It is estimated that it
takes about a week for water to be drained from within the pavement and the
pavement structure will be exposed to moisture levels approaching saturation for 26%
of the time. The initial serviceability index, pi = 4.5 and terminal serviceability index,
pt = 2.5. The following additional information is available:

Resilient modulus of asphalt concrete = 400,000 lb/in2

CBR value of base course material = 70, Mr = 30,000 lb/in2
CBR value of sub base course material = 40, Mr = 13,000 lb/in2
CBR value of subgrade material = 6, Mr = 5,500lb/in2

Determine a suitable pavement structure. Make assumption if any.

 Solution
1. Assumption:
Reliability level (R) = 99%

Standard deviation, So = 0.49

Design serviceability loss = 4.5-2.5 = 2

2. Determine the design Structural Number ,
Subgrade,Mr = 5500, SN3 = 4.5

 Repeat step to get values of SN1 and SN2

 Ans : SN1 = 2.5, SN2 = 3.5
3. Determine the structural layer coefficient a1, a2, a3
a1 = 0.42
 a2=0.13
 a3 = 0.12
4. Determine appropriate drainage coefficient
 SN = a1 D1 + a2 D2 m2 + a3 D3 m3
SN1 = 2.5 a1= 0.42 m = 0.8
SN2 = 3.5 a2= 0.13
SN3 = 4.5 a3= 0.12

SN1 = a1D1
D1 = SN1/a1 = 2.5/0.42 = 5.9 (use 6)
SN1* = 0.42 x 6 = 2.52

D2 = [(SN2-SN1*)/(a2 x m2)] =[(3.5 – 2.52)/(0.13 x 0.8)] = 9.42 (use 10)

SN2* = 0.13 X 10 + 2.52 = 3.82

D3 = [(SN3-SN2*)/(a3 x m3)] =[(4.5 – 3.82)/(0.12 x 0.8)] = 7.08 (use 8)

SN3* = 0.12 X 8 +3.82 = 4.78
Therefore the pavement will consist of 6 in of asphalt concrete surface, 10 in granular base and 8 in
subbase.