The Pavement

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What is a Pavement?

 A multi layer system that distributes the

vehicular loads over a larger area

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What is a Pavement?
OR
 Highway pavement is a structure consisting of
superimposed layers of selected and processed
materials whose primary function is to
distribute the applied vehicle load to the sub
grade.
OR
 It can also be defined as “structure which
separates the tires of vehicles from the
under lying foundation.”

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What is a Pavement?
 Pavement is the upper part of
roadway, airport or parking area
structure.

 It includes all layers resting on the

original ground.

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Functions of the Pavement
 Reduce and distribute the traffic loading so as
not to damage the subgrade
 Provide vehicle access between two points
under all-weather conditions
 Provide safe, smooth and comfortable ride to
road users without undue delays and excessive
wear & tear
 Meet environmental and aesthetics requirement
 Limited noise and air pollution
 Reasonable economy

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Requirements of pavement structure

 Sufficient thickness to spread loading to a pressure

intensity tolerable by subgade
 Sufficiently strong to carry imposed stress due to
traffic load
 Sufficient thickness to prevent the effect of frost
susceptible subgrade
 Pavement material should be impervious to
penetration of surface water which could weaken
subgrade and subsequently pavement
 Pavement material should be non-frost susceptible
 Pavement surface should be skid resistant

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Classification of Pavements

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Types of Pavement

PAVEMENTS

Flexible Pavements Rigid Pavements

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 Flexible Pavements

Asphalt Concrete Aggregate Base Course

Natural Soil (Subgrade)

Aggregate Subbase Course

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 Flexible Pavements
Given Wheel Load

150 psi
Wearing C.
Base
Sub-base
3 psi Sub-grade

Load Distribution in Flexible Pavements

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Flexible Pavement

 “A flexible pavement is a structure that maintains

intimate contact with and distributes load to the
sub grade and depends on aggregate interlock,
particle friction and cohesion for stability”

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 Flexible Pavement
OR
 It is a structure which distributes the traffic loading
stresses to the soil (sub grade) at a magnitude that
will not shear or distort the soil i.e., from 150 psi to
3 psi
OR
 Pavement which reflects deformation of sub grade &
the subsequent layers on to the surface” i.e.; load is
transmitted from grain to grain through contact
points of granular material, i.e. in a compressive way.

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 Flexible Pavement
Introduction

 Flexible pavements are so named because the

total pavement structure deflects, or flexes, under
loading.

 A flexible pavement structure is typically

composed of several layers of different materials.

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Flexible Pavement
 Each layer receives the loads from the above layer,
spreads them out, then passes on these loads to
the next layer below.

 Thus, the further down in the pavement structure a

particular layer is, the less load (in terms of force
per unit area) it must carry.

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Structure of Flexible Pavement
 In order to take maximum advantage of this
property, material layers are usually arranged in
order of descending load bearing capacity with the
highest load bearing capacity material (and most
expensive) on the top and the lowest load bearing
capacity material (and least expensive) at the
bottom.

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Structure of Flexible Pavement
Surface Course: This is the top layer and the layer
that comes in contact with traffic.
Base Course: This is the layer directly below the
surface course and generally consists of
aggregates (either stabilized or un-stabilized).
Sub-base Course: This is the layer (or layers)
under the base layer. A sub-base is not always
needed.
Sub-grade Course: The "sub-grade" is the material
upon which the pavement structure is placed.

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Surface Course
 The surface course is the layer in contact with
traffic loads and normally contains the highest
quality materials.

 It provides characteristics such as friction,

smoothness, noise control, rut and shoving
resistance and drainage.

 In addition, it serves to prevent the entrance of

excessive quantities of surface water into the
underlying base, sub-base and sub-grade.
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Base Course
 The base course is immediately beneath the
surface course. It provides additional load
distribution and contributes to drainage and
frost resistance.

 Base courses are usually constructed out of:

◦ Aggregates: Base courses are most typically
constructed from durable aggregates that will not be
damaged by moisture or frost action. Aggregates can
be either stabilized or un-stabilized.

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◦ HMA: In certain situations where high base
stiffness is desired, base courses can be
constructed using a variety of HMA mixes. In
relation to surface course HMA mixes, base
course mixes usually contain larger maximum
aggregate sizes, are more open graded.

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Sub-base Course
 The sub-base course is between the base course
and the sub-grade.

 It functions primarily as structural support but it

can also:
◦ Minimize the intrusion of fines from the sub-grade
into the pavement structure.
◦ Improves drainage.
◦ Minimize frost action damage.
◦ Provides a working platform for construction.

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Sub-base Course
 The sub-base generally consists of lower quality
materials than the base course but better than the
sub-grade soils.

 A sub-base course is not always needed or used.

 For example, a pavement constructed over a high

quality, stiff sub-grade may not need the additional
features offered by a sub-base course so it may be
omitted from design.

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Sub-grade
• Although a pavement's wearing course is
most prominent, the success or failure of a
pavement is more often than not dependent
upon the underlying sub-grade, the material
upon which the pavement structure is built.

• Sub-grades be composed of a wide range of

materials although some are much better than
others.

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Types of Flexible Pavement

Dense-graded

Open-graded Gap-graded
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Flexible Pavement – Construction

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Typical Load Distribution in Flexible Pavement

Wheel Load

Bituminous Layer

Sub-grade
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Load Transfer Mechanism

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Rigid Pavement
 Rigid pavements are those, which contain
sufficient beam strength to be able to bridge over
the localized sub-grade failures and areas of
inadequate support.
OR
 Load is transmitted through beam action of slab in
rigid pavements.
OR
 Rigid pavements are those, which reduces the
stress concentration and distributes the reduced
stresses uniformly to the area under the slab.

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Rigid Pavement
 Rigidity – does not deform under stress
 Concrete – air entrained increases resistance to
frost damage
 Reinforcement – may be bars or mesh. Continuous
rigid pavements have heavy reinforcement
 Joints – used in non-continuous pavements to allow
for thermal movement. Includes a „filler‟ and surface
sealant
 Rigid pavements – laid as single layer by „concrete
paver‟

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Rigid Pavements

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 Rigid Pavements

Load Distribution in Rigid Pavements

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 Rigid Pavements
Introduction

 Rigid pavements are so named because the

pavement structure deflects very little under
loading due to the high modulus of elasticity of
their surface course. A rigid pavement
structure is typically composed of a PCC
surface course built on top of either
◦ the sub-grade or
◦ an underlying base course.

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Rigid Pavements

 Because of its relative rigidity, the pavement

structure distributes loads over a wide area
with only one, or at most two, structural
layers.
 There are other types of surfaces also i.e.;
reinforced, continuously reinforced etc.

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Structure of Rigid Pavement
◦ Surface course. This is the top layer, which consists of
the PCC slab, reinforced or continuously reinforced
slabs .
◦ Base course. This is the layer directly below the PCC
layer and generally consists of aggregate or stabilized
sub-grade.
◦ Sub-base course. This is the layer (or layers) under
the base layer. A sub-base is not always needed and
therefore may often be omitted.

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 Surface Course

• The surface course is the layer in contact with

traffic loads and is made of PCC or RCC. It
provides characteristics such as friction,
smoothness, noise control and drainage. In
addition, it serves as a waterproofing layer to the
underlying base, sub-base and sub-grade.
• The surface course can vary in thickness but is
usually between 150 mm (6 inches for light
loading) and 300 mm (12 inches for heavy loads
and high traffic). Figure shows a 300 mm (12 inch)
surface course.

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PCC Surface
Rigid Pavement Slab
(Surface Course) Thickness

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 Base Course

• The base course is immediately beneath the

surface course. It provides
• Additional load distribution,
• Contributes to drainage and frost resistance,
• Uniform support to the pavement and
• A stable platform for construction equipment. Bases also
help and prevent sub grade soil movement due to slab
pumping. Base courses are usually constructed out of:
Aggregates base. A simple base course of crushed
aggregates has been a common option since the
early 1900s and is still appropriate in many
situations.
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 Base Course

Stabilized aggregate or soil. Stabilizing agents

are used to bind loose particles to one another,
providing strength and cohesion.
Dense-graded HMA. In situations where high base
stiffness is desired base courses can be
constructed using a dense-graded HMA layer.
Permeable HMA. In certain situations where high
base stiffness and excellent drainage is desired,
base courses can be constructed using an open
graded HMA.

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 Sub-base Course

• The sub-base course is the portion of the pavement

structure between the base course and the sub-
grade. It functions primarily as structural support but
it can also:
– Minimize the intrusion of fines from the sub-grade into the
pavement structure.
– Improves drainage.
– Minimizes frost action damage.

– Provides a working platform for construction.

• The sub-base generally consists of lower quality
materials than the base course but better than the
sub-grade soils.
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 Sub-grade

 Sub grade provides support to the overlying

concrete slab. If it is of good quality then slab
can be laid over it without providing sub-base
otherwise if it is extremely poor then a sub-
base layer should be incorporated .
 For design purpose the only thing to know
about sub-grade is its classification and the
unit pressure coming from slab to sub-grade
should be calculated for its selection. However,
it must be resistant to moisture damages.
Types of Rigid Pavement
 Jointed Plain Concrete Pavement (JPCP)

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Types of Rigid Pavement
 Continuously Reinforced Concrete
Pavement (CRCP)

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 Pavements Comparison
Flexible pavements:
• Deep foundations / multi layer construction
• Energy consumption due to transportation of materials
• Increasing cost of asphalt due to high oil prices
Rigid pavements
• Single layer
• Generally last longer
• May require asphalt topping due to noise / comfort
issues

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