Australian Long Life Pavements

Presented by
Geoff Jameson
ARRB Group

Institute of Road Engineering

6h November 2012

www.arrb.com.au

Advancing safety and efficiency in transport through knowledge

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Presentation Outline
Introduction
Definition of heavily trafficked long life pavement
Design period 40 years
Foundation design
Flexible pavements
Surfacing types
Structural design method (staged construction,
fatigue endurance limit)
Specifications
Concrete pavements
Example designs
2

Australian context
Large continent
Wide range of climates
each Australian state government has a pavement
design manual based on Austroads Guide
tailored to local materials, performance, climates,
loadings, specifications

Austroads Guide
(www.austroads.com.au)

State road agencies have supplements

the Guide

Road agency design rules,

specifications, contracts
Design inputs tailored to local climate
Specifications
Condition of Contract (warranties)
Test methods
Availability/ quality of materials
Maintenance practices
Past performance

Definition of long life pavements

Pavements where no significant deterioration will
develop in the foundation or the road base layers over
a 40 year period provided that correct surface
maintenance is carried out
Commonly called heavy-duty pavements in Australia
Design periods

In Australia these heavy duty pavements

would be designed with a project reliability of
95% to 97.5%

Factors affecting performance

Presentation discusses limited to pavement design issues

Foundation design
Project delivered by design and construct contracts
Contractors responsibility to design and construct the
foundation to carry the construction traffic
In terms of providing a foundation for long term
performance, road agencies design Manuals provide
minimum foundation structures

10

Example : Roads and Maritime Services New

South Wales design manual

11

Presentation Outline
Introduction
Definition of heavily trafficked long life pavement
Design periods 40 years
Foundation design
Flexible pavements
Surfacing types
Structural design method (staged construction,
fatigue endurance limit)
Specifications
Concrete pavements
Example designs
12

Asphalt surfacing types and thickness

Open graded asphalt (OGA)

Dense graded asphalt (DGA)
DGA Intersection mixes
SMA emerging
Use of polymer modified PMB for high
stresses/loadings

13

Open graded asphalt

14

Road users benefits of open graded asphalt

15

Open
graded
asphalt
10mm
SAMI
Dense
graded
asphalt
16

Dense graded asphalt, size 14 mm

17

Nominal size and thickness of dense

graded asphalts

18

Nominal size and thickness of dense

graded asphalts

19

Guide to selection of binder types

20

Presentation Outline
Introduction
Definition of heavily trafficked long life pavement
Design periods 40 years
Foundation design
Flexible pavements
Surfacing types
Structural design method
Specifications
Concrete pavements
Example designs

21

Thickness design using mechanistic

approach in use of over 20 years

22

Elements of mechanistic design

method

23

80 kN
Standard Axle

Mechanistic Design
Response

Asphalt

Design Traffic
(SAR)

Model

critical strain
Base Course/
Subbase Course
Subgrade

Performance
Relationship:

Allowable load
repetitions to
distress

N = RF

( )

Damage =

n
N

Strains calculated under a 80 kN Standard Axle

Uniform stress
(equal to tyre
pressure)

Spacing of Dual Wheels Full Axle Configuration

330mm

1
2

Asphalt
Cemented Material
Crushed Rock

Subgrade

1 Tensile strain at bottom of asphalt - asphalt fatigue

2 Tensile strain at bottom of cemented material - cement mat fatigue
3 Compressive strain at top of subgrade - rutting & shape loss
Denotes likely locations of critical strains due to applied loading

Features of pavement response model

response to load is calculated using the linear
elastic theory and specifically the computer
program CIRCLY

Performance relationships relate

strains to allowable traffic loading

27

Summary of design process

Step 1: select a trial pavement, desired project
reliability
Step 2: elastic characterisation of materials
Step 3: calculation of critical strains
Step 4: calculation of allowable loadings
Step 5: calculation of design traffic
Step 6: compare allowable loading with design traffic

Types of heavy duty flexible pavements

29

Presentation Outline
Introduction
Definition of heavily trafficked long life pavement
Design periods 40 years
Foundation design
Flexible pavements
Surfacing types
Structural design method
Specifications
Concrete pavements
Example designs

30

Asphalt mix design performance tests

Indirect tensile modulus
Beam fatigue tests
Rut resistance using small Wheel tracker

31

Cemented treated crushed rock

3-4% cement commonly used

stiff working platform on which to construct asphalt layers
150 mm to 200 mm thick single layer
common practice to assume it will fatigue crack early in
pavement life
hence a post-cracked modulus of 500 MPa is used
Unconfined compressive strength commonly specified,
ARRB has recently developed fatigue test

32

Lean concrete subbase

composition
Aggregate size (nominal
maximum)

Approximate proportion
(by mass) of mix(1)

20 mm aggregate

31%

14 mm aggregate

6%

10 mm aggregate

6%

7 mm aggregate

6%

5 mm screened fines

2%

High fines - sand

37%

33

Lean concrete subbase

placed wet and screeded as per concrete
thicknesses min 150 mm to 230 mm

34

Lean concrete subbase

90 day flexural strength >2 MPa
Design modulus 10 000 MPa
Design to inhibit fatigue cracking

35

Need to inhibit cracking of lean mix

reflecting to pavement surface
Overlying asphalt thickness 175 mm to inhibit reflection
cracking

36

Can use mechanistic approach to develop

design charts for routine use

37

Presentation Outline
Introduction
Definition of heavily trafficked long life pavement
Design periods 40 years
Foundation design
Flexible pavements
Surfacing types
Structural design method
Specifications
Concrete pavements
Example designs

38

Concrete pavement terminology

plain concrete
jointed reinforced
CRCP

debonding
layer

Concrete base
Lean concrete subbase
Capping/ select fill
Subgrade

Concrete pavement types commonly

used

40

Plain concrete pavements (no dowels

at transverse joints)

concrete base
lean concrete subbase

Plain Concrete Pavements (PCP)

Placed using slip form paver

tiebars
42

Longitudinal texture using hessian

dragged behind slip form paver

hessian

43

Transverse texture by tyning

44

Jointed reinforced concrete pavements

45

Continuously reinforced concrete

pavement
Reinforcing bars
base
subbase

Continuously reinforced concrete

pavement

47

Lean concrete (wet) subbase

Lean concrete subbase

48

Curing and debonding of concrete base and

subbase

49

Tied shoulders used

50

Presentation Outline
Introduction
Definition of heavily trafficked long life pavement
Design periods 40 years
Foundation design
Flexible pavements
Surfacing types
Structural design method
Specifications
Concrete pavements
Structural design method

Example designs
51

Two distress types considered in flexible

pavement thickness design
fatigue of cracking of concrete base
erosion of fines of the subbase/subgrade arising from
repeated deflections at joints and planned cracks

Fatigue
cracking

Erosion
at joints

Thickness design based on simple prediction

models developed from finite element modelling
critical stresses/displacement are determined under each
anticipated axle group type and axle group load
not calculated directly in Austroads Guide,
stresses/displacement embedded in performance
relationships
Erosion predicted from slab corner displacements

PLSF 10F3

log (F2 N e ) = 14.52 6.77 max(0,

9.0)
41.35

4.45
F
4

0.103

Thickness design
select a trial concrete base thickness
calculate percentage damage by dividing expected load
repetitions by allowable repetitions
SINGLE AXLES / DUAL WHEELS (SADT)
Equivalent Stress
Stress Ratio Factor

Axle Load
(kN)

Design
Expected
Load (kN) Repetitions

1.06
0.250

Erosion Factor

2.47

Fatigue Analysis
Erosion Analysis
Allowable
Fatigue Allowable Damage
Repetitions
(%)
Repetitions
(%)

150

195.0

57,500

0.00

69,271

0.00

140

182.0

159,117

0.00

104,306

0.00

130

169.0

1,528

601,365

0.25

163,912

0.93

120

156.0

9,168

5,962,495

0.15

272,483

3.36

110

143.0

31,324

UNLIMITED

0.00

489,873

6.39

100

130.0

106,196

UNLIMITED

0.00

991,416

10.71

90

117.0

226,908

UNLIMITED

0.00

2,462,593

9.21

80

104.0

352,968

UNLIMITED

0.00

9,721,111

3.63

70

91.0

496,600

UNLIMITED

0.00

1,373,296,172

0.04

60

78.0

734,204

UNLIMITED

0.00

UNLIMITED

0.00

Thickness design
sum damage over all axle group loads and axle group types
if damage less than 100% for both erosion and fatigue,
pavement acceptable otherwise select another trial
pavement configuration
SINGLE AXLES / DUAL WHEELS (SADT)
Equivalent Stress
Stress Ratio Factor

Axle Load
(kN)

Design
Expected
Load (kN) Repetitions

1.06
0.250

Erosion Factor

2.47

Fatigue Analysis
Erosion Analysis
Allowable
Fatigue Allowable Damage
Repetitions
(%)
Repetitions
(%)

150

195.0

57,500

0.00

69,271

0.00

140

182.0

159,117

0.00

104,306

0.00

130

169.0

1,528

601,365

0.25

163,912

0.93

120

156.0

9,168

5,962,495

0.15

272,483

3.36

110

143.0

31,324

UNLIMITED

0.00

489,873

6.39

100

130.0

106,196

UNLIMITED

0.00

991,416

10.71

90

117.0

226,908

UNLIMITED

0.00

2,462,593

9.21

80

104.0

352,968

UNLIMITED

0.00

9,721,111

3.63

70

91.0

496,600

UNLIMITED

0.00

1,373,296,172

0.04

60

78.0

734,204

UNLIMITED

0.00

UNLIMITED

0.00

Joint design
Thickness design is dominated by traffic-induced
stresses
Location and design of joints dominated by the need to
control stresses and strains due to changes in
temperature and moisture

56

Roads and Maritime Services, New

South Wales (www.rms.nsw.gov.au)

57

Need for experienced designers,

detailing critical to performance

58

Presentation Outline
Introduction
Definition of heavily trafficked long life pavement
Design periods 40 years
Foundation design
Flexible pavements
Surfacing types
Structural design method (staged construction,
fatigue endurance limit)
Specifications
Concrete pavements
Example designs
59

Design examples
Location: Brisbane
annual rainfall 1000 mm
Urban freeway/motorway
40 year design traffic 100 MESA
subgrade design CBR = 5%

60

Thick asphalt on crushed rock subbase

seal

30mm Open graded asphalt

50mm DGA14
(SBS polymer modified binder)
290 mm DGA20
Pen 50/65 bitumen
(4.5% - 5% by mass)

150 mm crushed rock subbase

CBR 30%
150 mm Capping layer CBR 10%
subgrade material CBR = 5%

Thick asphalt on cement treated crushed rock

subbase
seal

30mm Open graded asphalt

50mm DGA14 (SBS polymer modified
binder
230 mm DGA20
Pen 50/65 bitumen
(4.5% - 5% by mass)

150 mm 3% cement treated crushed

rock subbase (E=500 MPa, cracked)
150mm Capping layer CBR 10%
subgrade material CBR = 5%

Thick asphalt on lean concrete subbase

30mm Open graded asphalt

seal

50mm DGA14 (SBS polymer modified

binder
125 mm DGA20
Pen 50/65 bitumen (4.5% - 5% by mass)
190 mm lean concrete subbase
(E= 10 000 MPa)
150 mm crushed rock subbase
CBR 30%
150mm Capping layer CBR 10%
subgrade material CBR = 5%

Plain concrete on lean concrete subbase

270 mm concrete base

Debonding
treatment

150 mm lean concrete subbase

(E= 10 000 MPa)
150 mm crushed rock subbase
CBR 30%
150mm Capping layer CBR 10%
subgrade material CBR = 5%

Continuously reinforced concrete on lean

concrete subbase

250 mm concrete base

Debonding
treatment

150 mm lean concrete subbase

(E= 10 000 MPa)
150 mm crushed rock subbase
CBR 30%
150mm Capping layer CBR 10%
subgrade material CBR = 5%

Summary
Summarised Australian pavement design
practice for heavily trafficked long life
pavements
Austroads guidelines need to be considered in
context of the entire Design System:

Specifications
Test method
Engineering policies
Construction quality
In service performance

66

Thank you

67