CH 1

Basic Pavement Types :

Flexible
Rigid
Composite

The primary difference between flexible and rigid is in how loads are distributed to
subgrade.
Comparis
on Type
Propertie
s

Flexible

Advantag
es

Disadvant
ages

Made up of multiple, fairly thin

layers.
Distributes load over a smaller
area of subgrade.
Deflects under load. (Pavement
layers bend)
Easily and commonly recycled.
Lives 15-20 years.
Easily, quickly constructed and
repaired.
Additional thickness can be
added.
Quieter and smoother.
More forgiving. (Limited
Differential Settlements)
Properties may change over time.
Shorter service time.
Moisture problems.

Rigid

Applicatio
ns

Traffic lanes.
Auxiliary lanes.
Parking areas.
Frontage roads.
Shoulders.

Stiffer (little
bending)
Distributes loads
over larger area of
subgrade.
Can be recycled,
but less common.
Lives 20-40 years.
Subbase is elective.
Good durability.
Long service life.
Minor variations in
subgrade strength
have a little effect.
No deterioration.
(resistance to
moisture damage)
Harder and more
expensive to repair.
May polish over
time.
Needs even
subgrade supports.
More expensive to
construct.(not
always)
High volume traffic
lanes.
Freeway to freeway
connections.
Exit ramps with
heavy traffic.

Such as

Hot Mix Asphalt ( HMA)

Portland cement concrete

(pcc)

Pavement layers :

Wearing course or surface course.

Base course.
Subbase.
Subgrade. (tow types : compacted , natural)

Surface courses :

Safety.
Traffic loads.
Environmental factors. (such as: temperature , moisture)
Other considerations.(noise, smoothness, economics, traffic disruptions)
Control of swelling.
Expansion and shrinkage (decreasing) of subgrade.

Distress :

Moisture problems cause Rutting.(controlled by choice of materials and

design of surface mixes)
Fatigue cause Cracking.

Base courses used for :

Drainage.
Control pumping.
Control frost action.
Control shrink and swell of subgrade.

Distress :

Rutting.( from poor subgrade support)

Drainage.
Frost penetration.

Stabilization.
Fatigue cracking.

Asphalt pavement with high enough strength will not exhibit structural failure.
Surface distresses can be removed/repaired relatively easily.
Layer name
base
intermediate/b
inder
surface

Resistance to
Fatigue.
Moisture damage.
Rutting

Benefit
To be durable.

Durability and
stability.

Surface initiated distresses

(cracking, rutting, other)

Choosing pavement type due to :

States guidelines or policies.

Engineering and economic considerations.
Other considerations.

Distresses

Subgrade duties:

Stabilization.
Control drainage.
Control pumping.

Flexible
Rutting..
Cracking.
(torminal,
longitudinal,
fatigue)
IRI. (international
roughness index)

Rigid

Punchout.
IRI.
Faulting.
Transverse
cracking.

CH 2
Soil objective:

Describe the physical characteristics.

Evaluation quality control tests.

Soil definition:

All earth materials that blankets the rock crust of the earth.
Products of disintegration of the rocks of earth crust.

Disintegration (weathering): caused by mechanical (wind, running water, freezing,

thawing) and chemical forces (chemical decomposition).
Soil type
Residual
Aeolin
Glacial

Sedimentary
Organic

Inorganic

Formation & properties

From local soil.
Lies above the parent material.
Action of wind.
Called wind blown.
Deposits of lightly bonded
materials.
From ice.
Low density.
Action of water.
Find in rivers, lakes, oceans.
Large amount of organic matter.
Dark brown to black color.
Distinctive odor.
Mineral portion predominates.

Soils lack of homogeneity due to the random process of their formation at different
locations over the surface of earth.

Grain size
Permeabilit
y
Cohesion
Plasticity
Shrinkage
&
Expansion
Other
properties

Gravel & Sand

80 mm gravel - 0.08 mm
fine sand
high

Silt
0.08 mm 0.002 mm

Clay
0.002 mm

Medium

Low

Low
Low
Low

Medium
Low, Medium
Medium

High
High
High

Identified visually.
Give stability.

High
compressible
and elastic
due to high %
of flakes.

Considera
ble
strength
when dry.

Gravel: Natural rounded river bank aggregates.

Crushed gravel: products of crushing larger rocks into gravel size.
Loam: well-graded soil that is productive for plant life.(sandy, silty, or clayey loam)
Loes: fine-graded aeolin soil.

Uniform size.
Low density.
Predominantly silt.

Muck: soft silt or clay.

High organic content.

Swampy areas and lake bottoms.

Peet: soil composed of partially decomposed vegetable matter.

High water content.

Woody nature.
High compressibility.
Undesirable foundation material.

Due to heterogeneous character the properties of any given soil depends on:

It's general type.

It's condition at the time when it's being examined.

Specific gravity determined by pycnometer method.

Soil Properties:

Moisture content.
Specific gravity.
Unit weight.
Shear resistance.

Shear resistance increase as:

Void ratio decrease.

Rough, angular particles.
Well graded sand.

Permeability: property of soil mass that permits water to flow through it under the
action of gravity or some other applied forces.
Capillarity: property that permits water to be drawn from a free water surface
through the action of surface tension and independent of the forces of gravity.
Shrinkage: reduction of volume of soil mass that accompanies a reduction in
moisture content when saturated or partially saturated.
Swelling: expansion in volume of a soil mass that accompanies an increase in
moisture content.
Compressibility: property of soil that permits it to consolidate under the action of
applied compressive load.
Elasticity: property of soil that permits it to return to it's original dimensions after
the removal of an applied load.
Mr(Resilient Modulus) represent the elasticity of soil.
Soil classification objective:

Predict the subgrade performance of a given soil on the basis of a few simple
tests performed on the soil in a disturbed condition.

Two methods:

AASHTO.
USCS (unified soil classification system)

Tests for soil classification:

1- Mechanical analysis: sieve analysis, wet sieve analysis, hydrometer analysis.
2- Atterberg limits.
Plastic limit: the lowest moisture content at which the soil can be rolled into a
thread of 3.2mm diameter without crumbling.
PI High then:

Soil compressible, cohesive, high plastic.

Sand cohesionless, non-plastic (NP).

CBR Test (california bearing ratio)

Objective:

Soil evaluation the strength of compacted soil.

Pavement design the flexible pavement.(thickness for base,
subbase,subgrade)

Frost heave: expansion of subgrade layer during freezing temperature.

Frost heave + spring break-up ---- reduce the strength of soil and pavement.
CH 3
Aggregates: angular mineral particles that are widely used for highway bases,
subbas, and backfill.
Used in: combination with cementing materials to form concretes for bases,
subbases, wearing surface, and drainage structures.
Sources:

Natural deposits of sand and gravel.

Pulverized concrete and asphalt pavement.
Crushed stone.
Blast furnace slag.

Processing:

Excavation.
Transportation.
Crushing.
Sizing.
Stockpiling.

Properties:
Gradation.(high strength, high economy) using sieve analysis.
Hardness. Using los angeles abrasion.
Larger max size
Increase strength.
Improve skid resistance.
Increase volume and surface
area of aggregate.(Decrease
AC content)
Improves rut resistance.
Increase segregation.

Smaller max size

Reduce segregation.
Reduce road noise.
Reduce tire wear.

Reasons of blending:

Obtain desirable gradation.

Single natural quarried material not enough.
Economical to combine natural and process materials.
Gap graded

Open graded

Size

Well graded
or dense
Different sizes

2 sizes

Density

Max density

Less than well

graded

One size
(medium,
small, too
small)
Less than gap
graded

Interlock
Permeability

Very good
Very low

medium
medium

low
high

Uniformly
graded
One size (big,
medium)

Less than or
equal open
graded
low
high

S.E: used to estimate the relative proportions of fine aggregate and clay-like or
plastic fines and dust.

Aggregate should be:

Clean.
Tough.
Durable.
Free from flat and elongated particles.
Dust.
Clay lumbs.
Other objectionable materials.

Hydrophobic aggregate
Water hating.
Limestone and dolomite.
Positive surface charge.
No strength reduction.

Hydrauphilic aggregate
Water loving.
Gravel and silicate.
Negative surface charge.
Reduce strength.

Gravels create a weaker interfacial zones in concrete than limestone aggregate.

Surface coating (dust of clay, silt, gypsum) reduce bond strength.
Aggregate shape:

Rounded.
Sub-rounded.
Flat.
Elongated.

Aggregate angularity:

Sub-angular.
Angular.

Aggregate texture:

Very rough.
Rough.
Smooth.
Polished.