DESIGN OF FLEXIBLE PAVEMENTS AS PER IRC:37-2001 (Second Revision)

Compiled by V.VENKATA NARAYANA

∗[ ]
Design Traffic = ∗A*D*F
∗

N = The cumulative number of STANDARD AXLES (Weight =8160 kg) to be catered for in the design in terms of "msa" ( Million Standard Axles)
A = Initial traffic in the year of completion of construction in terms of number of Commercial Vehicles Per Day (CVPD) (Weight >=3.0 mt)
= ∗( + ) P = Number of COMMERCIAL VEHICLES as per last count
x = Number of years between the last count and the year of completion of Construction.

D= Lane Distribution Factor = 1.00 For Single - Lane roads ( Carriageway width = 3.66/ 3.75 m)
'= 0.75 For Two - Lane single carriageway roads ( Carriageway width = 7.00 m)

F= Vehicle Damage Factor = 1.50 For A = 0 - 150 Initial Traffic in terms of CVPD
= 3.50 For A = 150 - 1500 Initial Traffic in terms of CVPD
= 4.50 For A = More than 1500 Initial Traffic in terms of CVPD

n= Design life in years = 5 to 15 As guided by Higher Authorities

r = Annual growth rate of Commercial Vehicles = 7.5 % of 0.075

Design Steps (i) N value in "msa" can be directly read for respective road from TRAFFIC TABLE for (1) Design life in years and (2) Initial traffic in CVPD
(ii) Obtain CBR in % ( California Bearing Ratio) of Subgrade Soil. CBR should be done in the lab only.
(iii) Using the above N value and CBR of Subgrade, the Pavement Composition Layers can be read from the CBR Tables.

CBR = 2 % CBR = 2 %
Granular Granular
Bituminous Surfacing ( mm ) Bituminous Surfacing ( mm )
Traffic Thickness Sub base Traffic Thickness Sub base
Wearing Course Binder Course WMM Wearing Course Binder Course WMM
(msa) (mm ) (mm ) (msa) (mm ) (mm )
Material Thickness Material Thickness Material Thickness Material Thickness Material Thickness Material Thickness
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1 660 PC 20 -- -- 225 Gr III 435 40 915 BC 40 DBM 165 250 Gr I 460
2 715 PC 20 BM 50 225 Gr III 440 50 925 BC 40 DBM 175 250 Gr I 460
3 750 PC 20 BM 60 250 Gr I 440 60 930 BC 40 DBM 180 250 Gr I 460
4 775 PC 20 BM 80 250 Gr I 445 70 935 BC 40 DBM 185 250 Gr I 460
5 795 SDBC 25 DBM 70 250 Gr I 450 80 940 BC 50 DBM 180 250 Gr I 460
10 850 BC 40 DBM 100 250 Gr I 460 90 945 BC 50 DBM 185 250 Gr I 460
20 880 BC 40 DBM 130 250 Gr I 460 100 955 BC 50 DBM 195 250 Gr I 460
30 900 BC 40 DBM 150 250 Gr I 460 150 975 BC 50 DBM 215 250 Gr I 460
 CBR = 3 % CBR = 4 %
Granular Granular
Bituminous Surfacing ( mm ) Bituminous Surfacing ( mm )
Traffic Thickness Sub base Traffic Thickness Sub base
Wearing Course Binder Course WMM Wearing Course Binder Course WMM
(msa) (mm ) (mm ) (msa) (mm ) (mm )
Material Thickness Material Thickness Material Thickness Material Thickness Material Thickness Material Thickness
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1 550 PC 20 -- -- 225 Gr III 325 1 480 PC 20 -- -- 225 Gr III 255
2 610 PC 20 BM 50 225 Gr III 335 2 540 PC 20 BM 50 225 Gr III 265
3 645 PC 20 BM 60 250 Gr I 335 3 580 PC 20 BM 50 250 Gr I 280
4 670 PC 20 BM 75 250 Gr I 345 4 600 PC 20 BM 65 250 Gr I 285
5 690 SDBC 25 DBM 60 250 Gr I 355 5 620 SDBC 25 DBM 60 250 Gr I 285
10 760 BC 40 DBM 90 250 Gr I 380 10 700 BC 40 DBM 80 250 Gr I 330
20 790 BC 40 DBM 120 250 Gr I 380 20 730 BC 40 DBM 110 250 Gr I 330
30 810 BC 40 DBM 140 250 Gr I 380 30 750 BC 40 DBM 130 250 Gr I 330
40 820 BC 40 DBM 150 250 Gr I 380 40 765 BC 40 DBM 145 250 Gr I 330
50 830 BC 40 DBM 160 250 Gr I 380 50 780 BC 40 DBM 160 250 Gr I 330
60 835 BC 40 DBM 165 250 Gr I 380 60 785 BC 40 DBM 165 250 Gr I 330
70 840 BC 40 DBM 170 250 Gr I 380 70 790 BC 40 DBM 170 250 Gr I 330
80 845 BC 40 DBM 175 250 Gr I 380 80 795 BC 40 DBM 175 250 Gr I 330
90 850 BC 40 DBM 180 250 Gr I 380 90 800 BC 40 DBM 180 250 Gr I 330
100 860 BC 50 DBM 180 250 Gr I 380 100 800 BC 50 DBM 170 250 Gr I 330
150 890 BC 50 DBM 210 250 Gr I 380 150 820 BC 50 DBM 190 250 Gr I 330

CBR = 5 % CBR =6 %
Granular Granular
Bituminous Surfacing ( mm ) Bituminous Surfacing ( mm )
Traffic Thickness Sub base Traffic Thickness Sub base
Wearing Course Binder Course WMM Wearing Course Binder Course WMM
(msa) (mm ) (mm ) (msa) (mm ) (mm )
Material Thickness Material Thickness Material Thickness Material Thickness Material Thickness Material Thickness
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1 430 PC 20 -- -- 225 Gr III 205 1 390 PC 20 -- -- 225 Gr III 165
2 490 PC 20 BM 50 225 Gr III 215 2 450 PC 20 BM 50 225 Gr III 175
3 530 PC 20 BM 50 250 Gr I 230 3 490 PC 20 BM 50 250 Gr I 190
4 555 PC 20 BM 65 250 Gr I 240 4 515 PC 20 BM 65 250 Gr I 200
5 580 SDBC 25 DBM 55 250 Gr I 250 5 535 SDBC 25 DBM 50 250 Gr I 210
10 660 BC 40 DBM 70 250 Gr I 300 10 615 BC 40 DBM 65 250 Gr I 260
20 690 BC 40 DBM 100 250 Gr I 300 20 640 BC 40 DBM 90 250 Gr I 260
30 710 BC 40 DBM 120 250 Gr I 300 30 655 BC 40 DBM 105 250 Gr I 260
40 720 BC 40 DBM 130 250 Gr I 300 40 665 BC 40 DBM 115 250 Gr I 260
50 730 BC 40 DBM 140 250 Gr I 300 50 675 BC 40 DBM 125 250 Gr I 260
60 735 BC 40 DBM 145 250 Gr I 300 60 680 BC 40 DBM 130 250 Gr I 260
70 740 BC 40 DBM 150 250 Gr I 300 70 685 BC 40 DBM 135 250 Gr I 260
80 745 BC 40 DBM 155 250 Gr I 300 80 690 BC 40 DBM 140 250 Gr I 260
90 750 BC 40 DBM 160 250 Gr I 300 90 695 BC 40 DBM 145 250 Gr I 260
100 750 BC 50 DBM 150 250 Gr I 300 100 700 BC 50 DBM 140 250 Gr I 260
150 770 BC 50 DBM 170 250 Gr I 300 150 720 BC 50 DBM 160 250 Gr I 260
 CBR = 7 % CBR = 8 %
Granular Granular
Bituminous Surfacing ( mm ) Bituminous Surfacing ( mm )
Traffic Thickness Sub base Traffic Thickness Sub base
Wearing Course Binder Course WMM Wearing Course Binder Course WMM
(msa) (mm ) (mm ) (msa) (mm ) (mm )
Material Thickness Material Thickness Material Thickness Material Thickness Material Thickness Material Thickness
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1 375 PC 20 -- -- 225 Gr III 150 1 375 PC 20 -- -- 225 Gr III 150
2 425 PC 20 BM 50 225 Gr III 150 2 425 PC 20 BM 50 225 Gr III 150
3 460 PC 20 BM 50 250 Gr I 160 3 450 PC 20 BM 50 250 Gr I 150
4 485 PC 20 BM 65 250 Gr I 170 4 465 PC 20 BM 65 250 Gr I 150
5 505 SDBC 25 DBM 50 250 Gr I 180 5 475 SDBC 25 DBM 50 250 Gr I 150
10 580 BC 40 DBM 60 250 Gr I 230 10 550 BC 40 DBM 60 250 Gr I 200
20 610 BC 40 DBM 90 250 Gr I 230 20 575 BC 40 DBM 85 250 Gr I 200
30 630 BC 40 DBM 110 250 Gr I 230 30 590 BC 40 DBM 100 250 Gr I 200
40 640 BC 40 DBM 120 250 Gr I 230 40 600 BC 40 DBM 110 250 Gr I 200
50 650 BC 40 DBM 130 250 Gr I 230 50 610 BC 40 DBM 120 250 Gr I 200
60 655 BC 40 DBM 135 250 Gr I 230 60 615 BC 40 DBM 125 250 Gr I 200
70 660 BC 40 DBM 140 250 Gr I 230 70 620 BC 40 DBM 130 250 Gr I 200
80 665 BC 40 DBM 145 250 Gr I 230 80 625 BC 40 DBM 135 250 Gr I 200
90 670 BC 40 DBM 150 250 Gr I 230 90 630 BC 40 DBM 140 250 Gr I 200
100 675 BC 50 DBM 145 250 Gr I 230 100 640 BC 50 DBM 140 250 Gr I 200
150 695 BC 50 DBM 165 250 Gr I 230 150 660 BC 50 DBM 160 250 Gr I 200

CBR = 9 % CBR =10 %

Granular Granular
Bituminous Surfacing ( mm ) Bituminous Surfacing ( mm )
Traffic Thickness Sub base Traffic Thickness Sub base
Wearing Course Binder Course WMM Wearing Course Binder Course WMM
(msa) (mm ) (mm ) (msa) (mm ) (mm )
Material Thickness Material Thickness Material Thickness Material Thickness Material Thickness Material Thickness
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1 375 PC 20 -- -- 225 Gr III 150 1 375 PC 20 -- -- 225 Gr III 150
2 425 PC 20 BM 50 225 Gr III 150 2 425 PC 20 BM 50 225 Gr III 150
3 450 PC 20 BM 50 250 Gr I 150 3 450 PC 20 BM 50 250 Gr I 150
4 465 PC 20 BM 65 250 Gr I 150 4 465 PC 20 BM 65 250 Gr I 150
5 475 SDBC 25 DBM 50 250 Gr I 150 5 475 SDBC 25 DBM 50 250 Gr I 150
10 540 BC 40 DBM 50 250 Gr I 200 10 540 BC 40 DBM 50 250 Gr I 200
20 570 BC 40 DBM 80 250 Gr I 200 20 565 BC 40 DBM 75 250 Gr I 200
30 585 BC 40 DBM 95 250 Gr I 200 30 580 BC 40 DBM 90 250 Gr I 200
40 595 BC 40 DBM 105 250 Gr I 200 40 590 BC 40 DBM 100 250 Gr I 200
50 605 BC 40 DBM 115 250 Gr I 200 50 600 BC 40 DBM 110 250 Gr I 200
60 610 BC 40 DBM 120 250 Gr I 200 60 605 BC 40 DBM 115 250 Gr I 200
70 615 BC 40 DBM 125 250 Gr I 200 70 610 BC 40 DBM 120 250 Gr I 200
80 620 BC 40 DBM 130 250 Gr I 200 80 615 BC 40 DBM 125 250 Gr I 200
90 625 BC 40 DBM 135 250 Gr I 200 90 620 BC 40 DBM 130 250 Gr I 200
100 635 BC 50 DBM 135 250 Gr I 200 100 630 BC 50 DBM 130 250 Gr I 200
150 655 BC 50 DBM 155 250 Gr I 200 150 650 BC 50 DBM 150 250 Gr I 200
 TRAFFIC TABLE

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Design Traffic N in " msa " as per equation = ∗A*D*F
∗

Design Life in Years - Single Lane Road (3.75 m) Design Life in Years -Two Lane Road (7.00 m)
Traffic
5 6 7 8 9 10 5 6 7 8 9 10
(CVPD)
50 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.4 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3
100 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.6
150 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.9 1.0 1.2 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.8 0.9
200 1.5 1.9 2.2 2.7 3.1 3.6 1.1 1.4 1.7 2.0 2.3 2.7
250 1.9 2.3 2.8 3.3 3.9 4.5 1.4 1.7 2.1 2.5 2.9 3.4
300 2.2 2.8 3.4 4.0 4.7 5.4 1.7 2.1 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.1
350 2.6 3.2 3.9 4.7 5.5 6.3 1.9 2.4 2.9 3.5 4.1 4.7
400 3.0 3.7 4.5 5.3 6.2 7.2 2.2 2.8 3.4 4.0 4.7 5.4
450 3.3 4.2 5.1 6.0 7.0 8.1 2.5 3.1 3.8 4.5 5.3 6.1
500 3.7 4.6 5.6 6.7 7.8 9.0 2.8 3.5 4.2 5.0 5.9 6.8
550 4.1 5.1 6.2 7.3 8.6 9.9 3.1 3.8 4.6 5.5 6.4 7.5
600 4.5 5.6 6.7 8.0 9.4 10.8 3.3 4.2 5.1 6.0 7.0 8.1
650 4.8 6.0 7.3 8.7 10.2 11.7 3.6 4.5 5.5 6.5 7.6 8.8
700 5.2 6.5 7.9 9.3 10.9 12.7 3.9 4.9 5.9 7.0 8.2 9.5
750 5.6 6.9 8.4 10.0 11.7 13.6 4.2 5.2 6.3 7.5 8.8 10.2
800 5.9 7.4 9.0 10.7 12.5 14.5 4.5 5.6 6.7 8.0 9.4 10.8
850 6.3 7.9 9.5 11.3 13.3 15.4 4.7 5.9 7.2 8.5 10.0 11.5
900 6.7 8.3 10.1 12.0 14.1 16.3 5.0 6.2 7.6 9.0 10.5 12.2
950 7.0 8.8 10.7 12.7 14.8 17.2 5.3 6.6 8.0 9.5 11.1 12.9
1000 7.4 9.3 11.2 13.3 15.6 18.1 5.6 6.9 8.4 10.0 11.7 13.6
1050 7.8 9.7 11.8 14.0 16.4 19.0 5.8 7.3 8.8 10.5 12.3 14.2
1100 8.2 10.2 12.3 14.7 17.2 19.9 6.1 7.6 9.3 11.0 12.9 14.9
1150 8.5 10.6 12.9 15.3 18.0 20.8 6.4 8.0 9.7 11.5 13.5 15.6
1200 8.9 11.1 13.5 16.0 18.7 21.7 6.7 8.3 10.1 12.0 14.1 16.3
1250 9.3 11.6 14.0 16.7 19.5 22.6 7.0 8.7 10.5 12.5 14.6 16.9
1300 9.6 12.0 14.6 17.3 20.3 23.5 7.2 9.0 10.9 13.0 15.2 17.6
1350 10.0 12.5 15.2 18.0 21.1 24.4 7.5 9.4 11.4 13.5 15.8 18.3
1400 10.4 13.0 15.7 18.7 21.9 25.3 7.8 9.7 11.8 14.0 16.4 19.0
1450 10.8 13.4 16.3 19.4 22.7 26.2 8.1 10.1 12.2 14.5 17.0 19.7
1500 11.1 13.9 16.8 20.0 23.4 27.1 8.3 10.4 12.6 15.0 17.6 20.3
1600 15.3 19.0 23.1 27.5 32.1 37.2 11.4 14.3 17.3 20.6 24.1 27.9
1700 16.2 20.2 24.5 29.2 34.1 39.5 12.2 15.2 18.4 21.9 25.6 29.6
1800 17.2 21.4 26.0 30.9 36.2 41.8 12.9 16.1 19.5 23.2 27.1 31.4
1900 18.1 22.6 27.4 32.6 38.2 44.1 13.6 17.0 20.6 24.5 28.6 33.1
2000 19.1 23.8 28.9 34.3 40.2 46.5 14.3 17.8 21.6 25.7 30.1 34.9
2100 20.0 25.0 30.3 36.0 42.2 48.8 15.0 18.7 22.7 27.0 31.6 36.6
2200 21.0 26.2 31.8 37.7 44.2 51.1 15.7 19.6 23.8 28.3 33.1 38.3
2300 21.9 27.4 33.2 39.5 46.2 53.4 16.5 20.5 24.9 29.6 34.7 40.1
2400 22.9 28.6 34.6 41.2 48.2 55.8 17.2 21.4 26.0 30.9 36.2 41.8
2500 23.9 29.7 36.1 42.9 50.2 58.1 17.9 22.3 27.1 32.2 37.7 43.6
2600 24.8 30.9 37.5 44.6 52.2 60.4 18.6 23.2 28.1 33.5 39.2 45.3
2700 25.8 32.1 39.0 46.3 54.2 62.7 19.3 24.1 29.2 34.7 40.7 47.1
2800 26.7 33.3 40.4 48.0 56.2 65.1 20.0 25.0 30.3 36.0 42.2 48.8
2900 27.7 34.5 41.9 49.8 58.3 67.4 20.8 25.9 31.4 37.3 43.7 50.5
3000 28.6 35.7 43.3 51.5 60.3 69.7 21.5 26.8 32.5 38.6 45.2 52.3
3500 33.4 41.6 50.5 60.1 70.3 81.3 25.0 31.2 37.9 45.0 52.7 61.0
4000 38.2 47.6 57.7 68.6 80.4 92.9 28.6 35.7 43.3 51.5 60.3 69.7
4500 42.9 53.5 64.9 77.2 90.4 104.6 32.2 40.2 48.7 57.9 67.8 78.4
5000 47.7 59.5 72.2 85.8 100.4 116.2 35.8 44.6 54.1 64.3 75.3 87.1
Note :- N = 1.0 msa for vales less than 1.00