Subgrade and Pavement Engineering

Zhang Huaizhi, Ph.D. ,Associated Professor

E-mail:[email protected]
Cellphone Number:15998355258
Office Room:B2-303
 Assessment Methods

Final Grade=
Attendance rate(30%)+
Classroom Performance(20%)+
Final Exam(50%)
Reference books
 Contents

◆Part 1:Introduction

◆Part 2:Subgrade Engineering

◆Part 3:Pavement Engineering

◇ Part 2:Subgrade Engineering

◆Subgrade Soil Characteristics

◆Subgrade Design parameters
◆General Design
◆Subgrade Protection
◆Design of Retaining Wall
◆Subgrade Construction
◇ Part 3:Pavement Engineering

◆Traffic Loads
◆Pavement Design Parameters
◆Pavement Base
◆Asphalt Pavement Design
◆Cement Concrete Pavement Design
◆Pavement Construction
◆Maintenance
and Rehabilitations
 Part1:Introduction
➢1.1 Road development history
➢1.2 Features and performance requirements of S&P
engineering

➢1.3 Definitions of S&P structure

 1.1 Road development history
Appian Way (Latin and Italian: Via Appia)

Via Appia within the ancient Minturno

 1.1 Road development history
Appian Way (Latin and Italian: Via Appia)
 1.1 Road development history
Appian Way (Latin and Italian: Via Appia)

The path of the Via Appia and of the Via Appia Traiana
1.1 Road development history
Telford Road Thomas Telford
(1757-1834)
 1.1 Road development history
Macadam Road

John Loudon McAdam (1756–1836)

1.1 Road development history

Construction of the first macadamized road in the United States (1823)

 1.1 Road development history
Tar Macadam Pavements

Bituminous binding materials and surface layers began to show up in pavements in

the early 1800s.
A tar macadam road consists of a basic
macadam road with a tar-bound surface. It
appears that the first tar macadam pavement
was placed outside of Nottingham (Lincoln
Road) in 1848 (Hubbard, 1910; Collins and
Hart, 1936). At that time, such pavements
were considered suitable only for light traffic
(i.e., not for urban streets). Coal tar, the
binder, had been available in the U.K. from
about 1800 as a residue from coal-gas
lighting. Possibly this was one of the earlier
efforts to recycle waste materials into a New macadam road construction at
pavement. McRoberts, Kentucky: pouring tar. 1926
 1.1 Road development history
Road Mix Surfaces

Road mixes, at the time often known as "retread", "oil processed", "surface mix" or
"mixed-in-place" roads, refer to the mechanical mixing of asphalt and aggregate
directly on the road bed to form a thin 25 - 100 mm (1 - 4 inch) wearing course.
Typically, the construction process was as follows (Urquhart, 1934):
1. Place, grade and compact the aggregate road bed.
2. Place the asphalt binder.
3. Mix the asphalt binder and aggregate together using a tractor-pulled disk or
harrow, windrow the mixed material in the center of the road, turn it, then
redistributed across the road and smooth it.
 1.1 Road development history
Road Mix Surfaces

4. Compact the resultant wearing course until no movement is discernible under the
roller wheels.
5. After a few weeks to several months, spread a cover coat of fine aggregate over
the surface and apply a seal coat. These pavements were not true hot mix asphalt
pavements because the asphalt was often applied as an emulsion and the mixing was
done directly on the road.

These pavements were not true hot mix asphalt pavements because the asphalt
was often applied as an emulsion and the mixing was done directly on the road.
 1.1 Road development history
Sheet Asphalt Pavements

The first pavements made from true hot mix asphalt (HMA) were called
sheet asphalt pavements. The HMA layers in this pavement were
premixed and laid hot. Baker (1903) describes this pavement system
as:
A wearing course 40 to 50 mm (1.6 to 2 inches) thick composed of
asphalt cement and sand.
A binder course about 40 mm (1.6 inches) thick composed of broken stone and
asphalt cement.
A base layer of hydraulic cement concrete or pavement rubble (old granite
blocks, bricks, etc.). Generally, this layer was 100 mm (4 inches) thick for "light"
traffic and 150 mm (6 inches) thick for "heavy" traffic (Baker, 1903).
 1.1 Road development history
Bitulithic Pavements

The final steps towards modern HMA were taken by Frederick J. Warren. In 1901
and 1903, Warren was issued patents for an early HMA paving material and
process, which he called "bitulithic". A typical bitulithic mix contained about 6
percent "bituminous cement" and graded aggregate proportioned for low air
voids. The concept was to produce a mix which could use a more "fluid" binder
than was used for sheet asphalt. Warren received eight patents in 1903. A review
of the associated claims reveals that Warren, in effect, patented HMA, the
asphalt binder, the construction of HMA surfaced streets and roads, and the
overlay of "old" streets. A rather complete set of patents.
 1.1 Road development history
PCC Pavement

Portland cement concrete (PCC) was essentially invented in 1824. In 1889, George
W. Bartholomew proposed building the first PCC pavement in Bellefontaine, Ohio.
Bartholomew was convinced that his "artificial stone" (the term "concrete" had not
come into use yet) was a suitable substitute for the brick and cobblestone of the day.
In order to convince the city of Bellefontaine to allow him to build his PCC pavement,
Bartholomew agreed to donate all the materials and post a $5,000 bond guaranteeing
the pavement's performance for five years. In 1891, the first truly rigid pavement was
mixed on site and placed in 5 ft. square forms. In order to match the performance and
appearance of the standard cobblestone pavements of the day, Bartholomew scored
100 mm (4 inch) squares into the PCC surface to give better footing for horses (a
practice continued to this day, although not for horses anymore). By 1914, portland
cement had been used to pave 2,348 miles of roadway.
 1.1 Road development history
Summary

Road and pavement building has often been used as a benchmark of a civilizations
advancement.
The quality and strength of many of the ancient roads has helped them survive to this
very day. The Via Appia in Rome is now over 2,300 years old and is still used today.
As the use of slave labor declined, smaller more economical roads, such as Telford
and Macadam roads, began to arise. Around the beginning of the 19th century,
binding agents began to be used to assist aggregate cohesion and improve the
durability of roads.
By the end beginning of the 20th century, the two principal pavement types, flexible
and rigid, had taken on many of their modern qualities and were being built world
widely.
 1.2 Features and performance
requirements of S&P engineering
⚫ long
⚫ linear and muti-layer structure
⚫ complex environment, terrain and geology influences
⚫ ......
 1.2 Features and performance
requirements of S&P engineering
Subgrade：the prepared earth surface on which a pavement or the
ballast of a railroad track is placed or upon which the
foundation of a structure is built.
Bearing Capacity, Stability, Durability
 1.2 Features and performance
requirements of S&P engineering
Pavement： the durable surface material laid down on an area
intended to sustain vehicular or foot traffic, such as a road
or walkway.
Bearing Capacity, Stability, Durability,
Surface Smoothness, Skid Resistance
 1.3 Definitions of S&P structure
Subgrade: composed of subgrade structure and subgrade
facilities.
Subgrade structure refers to the subgrade area under the pavement
structure layer.
Subgrade facilities refer to the necessary auxiliary engineering
facilities to ensure the stability of the basic structure of the
road, including drainage facilities and protection and reinforcement
facilities.
 1.3 Definitions of S&P structure
subgrade structure subgrade width

Pavement

Up Roadbed
subgrade Height
Down Roadbed

Up Embankment

Down Embankment
1.3 Definitions of S&P structure

Surface course (or Wearing course)

Binder course (or Basecourse)
Base – Asphalt, Hydraulically-bound or
Granular
Sub-base – Hydraulically-bound or
Granular
Capping – Hydraulically-bound or
Granular (only used over poor subgrade)

Subgrade (or Substrate) – Soil

1.3 Definitions of S&P structure
1.3 Definitions of S&P structure

Surface course – durable, gives good ride quality

Binder course – gives a smooth even surface
Base – this must not break, so it must be strong and
reasonably thick
Subbase – still quite cheap + building up protection
to subgrade; also supports layers above better

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
1.3 Definitions of S&P structure