2.
Introduction: Pavement
Types and Failures
Pavement Engineering
IIT Kharagpur, Autumn 2023
What you will learn
1. Functional requirements of pavements
2. Different types of pavements.
3. Different layers in the pavement and their function
4. Important factors for Pavement Design.
5. How and why bituminous pavements fail?
6. How and why concrete pavements fail
Introduction
What goes into a pavement?
Concrete
Asphalt
Unbound
Soil
Functional requirements of pavements
• To provide functional surface for transpiration.
Functional – safe and comfort
• To withstand the vehicular loads under different
environmental condition (temperature, precipitation
etc.) without deformation or cracking
• To spread the loads coming on the surface such
that the load intensity on the natural soil beneath is
tolerable
Pavement types
• Flexible – Bituminous layer over granular
bases/sub-base
• Rigid – Concrete over base (treated/un-treated)
• Composite – Bituminous layer over cement
(hydraulically bound) treated base or sub-base
All pavement types are supported by compacted
natural soil also called as subgrade
Flexible and Composite pavements can be called as
Bituminous pavements.
Rigid pavements may be called as Concrete
pavements
Flexible vs Rigid
Flexible
Rigid
Pavement types - Bituminous pavements
Typical layers in Bituminous pavement
Surface course (or Wearing course)
Binder course
Base – Asphalt, Hydraulically-bound or
Granular
Sub-base – Hydraulically-bound or
Granular
Capping – Hydraulically-bound or
Granular (only used over poor subgrade)
Subgrade – Soil
Pavement types - Bituminous pavements
Typical layers in Bituminous pavement
Pavement types - Bituminous pavements
Function of different layers in Bituminous pavement
Surface course – durable, safe to ride on
Binder course – gives a smooth even surface
Base – this must not break, so it must be strong and
reasonably thick. Spreads the load – structural layer
Subbase – drain the water as fast as possible from
the pavement
Capping – if your subgrade is weak, you may need
capping in order to construct the rest of the
pavement
Subgrade – you must protect this or it will
deform
Pavement types - Concrete pavement
Layers in concrete pavement
Surface – Pavement Quality Concrete
Debonding layer – Polythene sheet
Base – Asphalt, Hydraulically-bound or
Granular
Sub-base – Hydraulically-bound or
Granular
Capping – Hydraulically-bound or
Granular (only used over poor subgrade)
Subgrade – Soil
Pavement types - Concrete pavement
Jointed plain concrete pavement
Pavement types - Concrete pavement
Jointed plain concrete pavement
Pavement types - Concrete pavement
Jointed plain concrete pavement - Contraction Joints
Pavement types - Concrete pavement
Jointed plain concrete pavement - Contraction Joints
Pavement types - Concrete pavement
Jointed plain concrete pavement - Longitudinal and Transverse Construction
Joints
Pavement types
• A large number of pavement combinations can be
conceived with different materials and using them in
different layers in the pavement
• Pavements are subjected to different traffic loading
and climatic conditions
• Different types of materials are used: The
performance of these materials governs the
performance of the pavement
• Pavements are designed and Built to PERFORM
Types of Pavements
Gravel Bituminous
Types of Pavements
Jointed plain Roller Compacted Concrete
Concrete
Types of Pavements
CRCP Panel Concrete
Types of Pavements
Block Cell-filled Concrete
Source:
https://www.google.co.in/search?q=block+pavements&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=638&source=lnms&tbm=isc
h&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwilmIzrpK7SAhXKHZQKHbUnBpYQ_AUIBigB&dpr=1#imgrc=8suNzZbBfFaUkM :
Traffic
Traffic
Traffic
Traffic
Traffic
Bituminous Pavement Failures
• Some of the important distresses of pavements are :-
Rutting in different layers (subgrade, granular
subbase, granular base, bituminous layers) caused
by permanent (irrecoverable) deformation
Cracking in different bound layers (cement
concrete, cement stabilised/treated aggregate
bases and subbases, bituminous layers) due to
fracture
Moisture Damage in bituminous layers which can
lead to ravelling (loss of aggregates), cracking and
rutting of bituminious layers
Bituminous Pavement Failures
Rutting (Permanent Deformation)
What?: Permanent longitudinal
depressions
Why?
• Heavy axle loads and a high volume
of traffic – more than designed
• Softer bitumen type
• Poor gradation
• More bitumen in the mix
• Poor compaction
• Water infiltration into pavement
subgrade
Bituminous Pavement Failures
Rutting (Permanent Deformation)
• Permanent deformation can occur in any or all of the
unbound pavement layers.
• The sum of the permanent deformation occurring in
different layers will be seen as rutting at the pavement
surface which can be measured as the depth of the
channelised rut (along wheel paths).
Bituminous Pavement Failures
Cracking
What?: Several types – Fatigue,
low temperature, reflection
Why?
• repeated traffic loads – fatigue
• Temperature drop - transverse
• Inadequate thickness
• Less bitumen
• Harder bitumen
• Aged bitumen
Bituminous Pavement Failures
Moisture damage
Bituminous Pavement Failures
Moisture damage
Bituminous Pavement Failures
Moisture damage
• Moisture can damage the bond between bitumen
and aggregates. Moisture can also reduce the
strength of the binder and mix gradually.
• Moisture damage in bituminous mixes will be
dependent on the adhesion between the
aggregates and bitumen, quality and nature of
aggregates, air voids in the mix, temperature, etc.
