Development of Improved Overlay Thickness Design Alternatives for Local Roads

Tutumluer, Erol; Sarker, Priyanka

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/79521 Copy

Description

Title

Development of Improved Overlay Thickness Design Alternatives for Local Roads

Author(s)

• Tutumluer, Erol
• Sarker, Priyanka

Issue Date

2015-07

Keyword(s)

• low-volume roads
• nondestructive testing (NDT)
• falling weight deflectometer (FWD)
• mechanistic-empirical (M-E) pavement overlay design methods

Abstract

In this research study, 20 pavement sections were selected from six counties in Illinois, with varying structural and traffic characteristics. Falling weight deflectometer (FWD) tests were conducted on these road segments to determine and monitor the structural conditions of both the existing and HMA overlaid pavement sections. Then the corresponding required overlay thicknesses were determined using three different methods—the AASHTO 1993 nondestructive testing (NDT) method, the IDOT modified layer coefficients method, and the Asphalt Institute deflection approach—that are currently used by local agencies including municipalities, counties and townships. Inadequacies of the currently available methods to properly account for the pavement structural conditions were highlighted. Accordingly, a new mechanistic-empirical (M-E) overlay design method was developed to adequately assess the structural conditions of existing pavements and subsequently recommend required thickness values from FWD-based critical pavement responses computed and compared with threshold values for the pre-established fatigue and/or rutting damage algorithms. The M-E overlay design method successfully identified structural deficiencies in the original pavement configurations through FWD NDT and subsequently resulted in reliable and cost-effective overlay solutions, as compared with the IDOT modified layer coefficients method.

Publisher

Illinois Center for Transportation/Illinois Department of Transportation

Series/Report Name or Number

Illinois Center for Transportation Series No. 15-008/Research Report No. FHWA-ICT-15-008

ISSN

0197-9191

Type of Resource

text

Language

en

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/79521

Sponsor(s)/Grant Number(s)

Illinois Department of Transportation, R27-130

Copyright and License Information

No restrictions. This document is available to the public through the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA 22161

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