Pavement Design - Introduction

Professor G.Venkatappa Rao

DEFINITION
The process of developing the most economical
combination of pavement layers (in relation to both
thickness and type of materials) to suit the soil
foundation and the cumulative traffic to be carried
during the design life.
- CRONEY (1977)

FLEXIBLE PAVEMENT

RIGID PAVEMENT

Types of Pavements

Typical cross section of conventional

flexible pavement

Wheel Load Distribution

Flexible

Rigid

Variables In Design
Construction & Maintenance Of
Pavements

VARIABLES
LOAD VARIABLES
REGIONAL VARIABLES

STRUCTURAL VARIABLES
PERFORMANCE VARIABLES
COST VARIABLES

LOAD VARIABLES
SHAPE AND VALUE OF THE STANDARD
LOAD REPRESENTING THE MIXED TRAFFIC
ON THE HIGHWAY FOR WHICH THE
PAVEMENT IS TO BE DESIGNED
SHAPE AND VALUE OF THE MAXIMUM LOAD
REPRESENTING THE DIFFERENT AIRCRAFT
USING THE AIRFIELD

REGIONAL VARIABLES
TYPES OF EXISTING SOILS,WHICH WILL
SERVE AS A FOUNDATION FOR THE
PAVEMENT
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ENVIRONMENT
IN THE REGION
1. TEMPERATURE
2. RAINFALL
3. FROST
4. STORMS

STRUCTURAL VARIABLES
TYPES
OF
SUB-BASEAVAILABLE
MATERIAL AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL
CONDITIONS
TYPES OF PAVEMENT- LOADS,AVAILABLE
MATERIALS, REGIONAL VARIABLES AND
COST

PERFORMANCE VARIABLES
SAFETY OF THE PAVEMENT SYSTEM

SERVICEABILITY RATING OF THE SYSTEM

DURABILITY OF THE SYSTEM

COST VARIABLES
CONSTRUCTION COST
ANNUAL MAINTENANCE COST
1.
2.
3.
4.

MATERIALS
EQUIPMENT
LABOUR
OVERHEADS

Flexible Pavements
Constructed of bituminous and granular
materials
DESIGN METHODS
Empirical Methods based on soil class,
CBR
Limiting Shear Method based on c and phi :
bearing capacity approach
Limiting Deflection Method Subgrade
deflection :
2.54 mm, Surface deflection :
6.35 mm
Regression Method Results of Road Trials :
AASHTO Method

Flexible Pavement
Mechanistic- Empirical Methods of
Design
Based on mechanics of materials that relates
an input, such as, wheel load, to an output,
or pavement response such as stress or
strain. The response values are used to
predict distress from laboratory or field
performance data

Modern approach to Flexible

Pavement design
Dependence on observed performance is
necessary because Theory alone has not
proven sufficient to design pavements
realistically.

 Jointed Plain Concrete Pavement

(JPCP)

CC Pavement Details

View of cc pavement showing joints, dowels and tie rods

Four types of concrete pavements

(1 ft = 0.305 m)

WHEEL LOAD STRESSES

Critical Load Positions
Corner Loading

Interior Loading

Edge Loading

Pumping of rigid pavement

TYRE IMPRINTS

Tyre contact imprint Elliptical in shape

Example: 195/60R16
195 is the width of the tyre in millimetres.
55 is the aspect ratio or tyre profile.
R means it is radial construction.
16 is the diameter of the wheel rim in
inches.

DESIGN ALTERNATIVES AS
A FUNCTION OF YEARS

STAGE CONSTRUCTION

VARIATION OF PAVEMENT SERVICEABILITY

WITH
AGE AND MAINTENANCE

FIXED TRAFFIC LEVEL APPROACH

Constant volume of traffic

ESWL
Applicable for airports

FIXED STANDARD WHEEL

APPROACH

Pavement thickness = f ( number of repetitions

to failure)
EWLF
Applicable for highway design

Typical LEFs
6

ESALs per Vehicle

5.11
5
4
3
1.85

1.35

1
0.0007

0.10

Car

Delivery Truck

0
Loaded 18-Wheeler

Loaded 40' Bus

Loaded 60'
Articulated Bus

Notice that cars are insignificant and thus usually

ignored in pavement design.

Standard Axle
Single axle with dual wheels carrying a
load of 80 kN (8 tonnes) is defined as
standard axle
80 kN

Standard Axle

Truck Configuration

5 Axle Truck 40t

2 Axle Truck 16t

LCV

3 Axle Truck 24t

4 Axle Semi Articulated 34t

Axle Configurations
An axle is a central shaft for a rotating wheel or gear

Single Axle With Single Wheel

(Legal Axle Load = 6t)

Tandem Axle
(Legal Axle Load = 18t)

Single Axle With Dual Wheel

(Legal Axle Load = 10t)
Tridem Axle
(Legal Axle Load = 24t)

Legal Axle Loads

Single Axle: 10.2t
Tandem Axle: 19.0t
Tridem Axle: 24.0t

Types of aircraft
According to
Type of propulsion and thrust-generating
medium
-> Piston-engine
-> Turbo-props ( Thrust through Turbine
engines propellers)
-> Turbo-jets ( Thrust directly from turbine
engine)

Piston-Engine aircraft
Propeller-driven

Run by reciprocating engines

Fuel : Gasoline

AIR PLANE CHARACTERISTICS

& AIRPORT PLANNING

AIRBUS MODEL A 300-600

General airplane dimensions

AIRBUS MODEL A 300-600

General airplane dimensions

AIRBUS MODEL A 300-600

Landing gear footprint

GROWTH OF AIRCRAFTS

Aircraft weight

Aircraft Grew in Size

A380-800F
1,305,000 lbs

B-747-400
873,000 lbs

A340-600
807,000 lbs

B-777-300
752,000 lbs

A330-200
469,000 lbs

B-767-700
451,000 lbs

A300 B2
304,000 lbs

DC-10-30
583,000 lbs

DC 8-71
358,000 lbs

COMPONENTS OF THE
AIRFIELD SYSTEMS (FAA)

Dauphin Island
Airport, Alabama

Courtesy of Volkert

168,000 SY

Atlanta Airport 2010

AIRPLANE DESCRIPTION
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
Maximum Ramp Weight (Maximum Design Taxi Weight):
Maximum weight authorized for ground maneuver by the
applicable government regulations, including taxi and run-up
fuel.
Maximum landing Weight: Maximum weight authorized at
touchdown by the applicable government regulations.
Maximum Takeoff Weight: Maximum weight authorized at takeoff
brake release by the applicable government regulations and
excludes taxi and run-up fuel.
Operating Empty Weight: Weight of structure, power plant,
furnishings, systems, unusable fuel and other unusable
propulsion agents, and other items of equipment that are
considered an integral part of a particular aircraft
configuration. Also included are certain standard items,
personnel, equipment, and supplies necessary for full
operation, excluding fuel and payload.

 Zero Fuel Weight: Maximum airplane weight less usable

fuel, engine injection fluid, and other consumable
propulsion agentsMaximum Structural Payload: Consists
of the maximum design payload weight of passengers,
passenger baggage and/or cargo.
Maximum Seating Capacity: The maximum number of
passengers specifically certified or anticipated for
certification.
Maximum Cargo Volume: The maximum space available
for cargo.
Usable Fuel Capacity: The volume of fuel carried for a
particular operation less drainable unusable fuel and
trapped fuel remaining after a fuel run out test has been
accomplished.

707

MODEL 707-120B

MODEL 707-120B

GROUND CLEARANCES: MODEL 707-120B

PAVEMENT DATA

PAVEMENT DATA

Landing Gear Footprint

Maximum Pavement Loads

Landing Gear Loading on Pavement

Flexible Pavement Requirements (SEFL and LCN)

Rigid Pavement Requirements (PCA and LCN)

Flexible and Rigid Pavement Requirements (FAA)

777

BOEING 777-200LR
BOEING 777-200LR

BOEING
BOEING777-300ER
777-300ER

BOEING 777

BOEING 777-200LR or 777-300ER

BOEING 777200LR

BOEING 777300ER

BOEING 777-300ER

LANDING GEAR FOOTPRINT

NOT TO SCALE

TYPICAL WHEEL
CONFIGURATIONS OF AIRCRAFT

TYPICAL AIRCRAFT
WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION

WEIGHT AND CAPACITY OF AIRCRAFT

Aircraft- Approximate Weights

747-200 - 351 metric tons

747-400 - 388 metric tons
747-400E - 426 metric tons
MD-11 - 304 metric tons

The runway is long enough, but is it strong

enough?

Careful trip planning should always include

determining the weight bearing strength of airport
pavements.

Highway vs Airport Pavements

Airport pavements generally require thicker
pavements, better surfacing materials due to
heavy loading & tyre pressure
Number load repetitions on airport pavements
much smaller
Load Distribution aircraft wander
Highways moving loads : loading duration
important; Airports : moving loads in the interior
& stationary loads at ends
Load Placement Edge loading, interior loading,
application of theories

Evaluation Of Pavement Component

Layers

Sub-grade
To Receive Layers of Pavement
Materials Placed over it
Plate Bearing Test
CBR Test
Triaxial Compression Test

Evaluation Of Pavement Component Layers

- Sub-base And Base Course
- To Provide Stress Transmitting Medium

- To distribute Wheel Loads

- To Prevent Shear and Consolidation
Deformation
In case of rigid pavements to
- Prevent pumping
- Protect the subgrade against frost action
- Plate Bearing Test
CBR Test