Analysis of Roadbed Pavement Designs for Highway Reconstruction and Upgrading

This paper focuses on the route and roadbed pavement design in highway reconstruction and upgrading projects.It discusses the importance of project design for highway reconstruction and upgrading,highlighting key aspects of route design and roadbed pavement design.The analysis reveals that the main design considerations in these projects include controlling factors of route reconstruction,expansion,and upgrading,as well as route plan design and longitudinal section design combined with roadbed pavement.In roadbed pavement design,it is crucial for designers to thoroughly collect existing data and make reasonable use of the current roadbed and pavement to develop a comprehensive design scheme.This analysis aims to provide a reference for the reasonable design of such projects.

Mechanistic-empirical pavement design guide(MEPDG):a bird's-eye view

Past editions of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials （AASHTO） Guide for Design of Pavement Structures have served well for several decades; nevertheless, many serious limitations exist for their continued use as the nation＇s primary pavement design procedures. Researchers are now incorporating the latest advances in pavement design into the new Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide （MEPDG）, developed under the National Cooperative Highway Research Program （NCHRP） 1-37A project and adopted and published by AASHTO. The MEPDG procedure offers several dramatic improvements over the current pavement design guide and presents a new paradigm in the way pavement design is performed. However, MEPDG is substantially more complex than the AASHTO Design Guide by considering the input parameters that influence pavement performance, including traffic, climate, pavement structure and material properties, and applying the principles of engineering mechanics to predict critical pavement responses. It requires significantly more input from the designer. Some of the required data are either not tracked previously or are stored in locations not familiar to designers, and many data sets need to be preprocessed for use in the MEPDG. As a result, tremendous research work has been conducted and still more challenges need to be tackled both in federal and state levels for the full implementation of MEPDG. This paper, for the first time, provides a comprehensive bird＇s eye view for the MEPDG procedure, including the evolvement of the design methodology, an overview of the design philosophy and its components, the research conducted during the development, improvement, and implementation phases, and the challenges remained and future developments directions. It is anticipated that the efforts in this paper aid in enhancing the mechanistic-empirical based pavement design for future continuous improvement to keep up with changes in trucking, materials, construction, design concepts, computers, and so on.

Flexible Pavement Design Simulation Using Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide

The KDOT （Kansas Department of Transportation） is currently adopting MEPDG （mechanistic-empirical pavement design guide） to replace the 1993 AASHTO （American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials） design method. The main objective of this study was to compare flexible pavement design using 1993 AASHTO design guide and MEPDG. Five newly built Superior PERforming Asphalt PAVEments （Superpave）, designed using the 1993 AASHTO Design Guide, were selected as test sections for the design simulation study. Deflection data were collected approximately 8 to 10 weeks after construction using FWD （falling weight deflectometer）. The FWD deflection data were used to back-calculate the pavement layer moduli using three different back-calculation programs. The existing pavement structures were analyzed for a 10-year analysis period. The maximum numbers of years the existing pavement structures will be in a serviceable condition as well as the minimum thicknesses of different layers to serve for 10-years were also determined. Effects of changing subgrade modulus, target distress, and reliability were also investigated. The MEPDG design analysis shows that the 1993 AASHTO Guide-designed flexible pavements do not show the distresses currently observed in Kansas for the 10-year design period. The MEPDG design simulation shows that the thinner the pavement sections, the higher the permanent deformation. The existing pavement structures can serve for more than 20 years as per the MEPDG design analysis if the default failure criteria and nationally-calibrated models are used.

Subgrade and Pavement Design Strategies for Different Road Settlement Sections

The quality of road engineering construction largely determines the road operation safety and driving comfort. However, in road engineering construction, the settlement of subgrade and pavement has always been an insurmountable problem. Therefore, in road construction practice, targeted treatment should be carried out for the sections prone to settlement, and subgrade and pavement design strategies for these settlement sections should be carried out, so as to reduce the risk of settlement and ensure the improvement of road engineering quality and safety.

Preliminary <i>k</i>-Values of Unbound Natural Quartzitic Gravels for Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design

The generalized constitutive model relating the resilient modulus (MR) of flexible pavement layer materials to stress state, adopted by the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG), contains a set of constants known as k-values (k1, k2, and k3) which are associated with the physical state of the layer materials. In Ghana, natural gravels constitute the predominant and sometimes the sole layer materials for most flexible pavements yet representative k-values of gravel materials, have not been determined to permit full application and implementation of the mechanistic-empirical design concept to pavements involving such materials. In this study, k-values characterising typical natural quartzitic gravels used for road construction in the country were derived by regression techniques from MR values determined using laboratory repeated load triaxial test. Using multiple linear regression technique, correlation relationships were then developed between the k-values and the physical properties of the gravels, namely, percentages of materials passing the 9.5 mm (P9.5) and 2.0 mm (P2.0) sieves, liquid limit (LL), maximum dry density (ρdmax), and optimum moisture content (wopt). The regression analysis returned k1 values which ranged between 441 and 958 with a mean of 516;k2 which varied between 0.0636 and 0.2168 with a mean value of 0.1216;and, k3 values which ranged between 0.1257 and 3.1590 with a mean value of 1.723. Contrary to what is mostly reported in literature, the analysis returned positive k3 values for all but one gravel material, suggesting stress hardening under octahedral shear stress for those materials. While an expanded sample base is required to fully characterize the whole gamut of natural gravels used in pavement construction in the country, this study on limited quartzitic gravel samples has given a good indication of strong linear correlations between the k-values and the index properties of the gravels, to permit estimates of the constants for such gravels be made where capability and opportunity for conducting resilient modulus tests do not exist.However, further work is recommended to fully characterise the exact nature of k3 values for quartzitic gravels in the country.

Structural Design of Roadbed and Pavement in Transition Section of Roads and Bridges

As the lifeline of social development,road and bridge projects are the main channel to realize resource transportation and economic circulation.Ensuring the quality of road and bridge project construction is crucial for the development of society,the economy,and people’s livelihoods.This paper studies the design of roadbed pavement structures in road and bridge transition sections.It aims to provide technical references and significance for China’s road and bridge engineering design and construction units,promoting scientific and standardized design in these actions.This will contribute to the safety and stable operation of road and bridge projects,offering effective technical support.Furthermore,it seeks to foster the sustainable and healthy development of China’s road and bridge engineering on a macro level.

Hierarchical methodology to evaluate the quality of disparate axle load data sources for pavement design

Axle load data are an essential input for pavement design,yet for most North American agencies,there is uncertainty about the quality of axle load data obtained from weigh-inmotion(WIM)systems,the applicability of these data for pavement design,and potential opportunities to integrate axle load data from disparate sources.This article presents a novel and practical methodology to evaluate the quality of axle load data from WIM systems and roadside weigh scales through a series of hierarchical analyses designed to test data validity.When applied using data from Manitoba,Canada,the methodology quantified the uncertainty of axle loads measured at the weigh scales and piezo-quartz WIM,concluding that both could be used for pavement design applications.Data collected at piezo-polymer WIM sites exhibited poorer data validity;however,application of site-specific temperature correction factors significantly improved data validity at these sites.The article describes how other data quality dimensions,including spatial coverage,temporal coverage,and long-term data availability,could be considered when determining the suitability of disparate axle load data sources for pavement design.Application of the methodology enables a pragmatic evaluation of the quality and limitations of commonlyavailable axle load data,revealing uncertainties and data needs relevant for pavement design practice.

Multi-gene genetic programming extension of AASHTO M-E for design oflow-volume concrete pavements

The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement DesignGuide (AASHTO M-E) offers an opportunity to design more economical and sustainable high-volume rigid pavementscompared to conventional design guidelines. It is achieved through optimizing pavement structural andthickness design under specified climate and traffic conditions using advanced M-E principles, thereby minimizingeconomic costs and environmental impact. However, the implementation of AASHTO M-E design for low-volumeconcrete pavements using AASHTOWare Pavement ME Design (Pavement ME) software is often overly conservative.This is because Pavement ME specifies the minimum design thickness of concrete slab as 152.4 mm (6 in.). Thispaper introduces a novel extension of the AASHTO M-E framework for the design of low-volume joint plain concretepavements (JPCPs) without modification of Pavement ME. It utilizes multi-gene genetic programming (MGGP)-based computational models to obtain rapid solutions for JPCP damage accumulation and long-term performanceanalyses. The developed MGGP models simulate the fatigue damage and differential energy accumulations. Thispermits the prediction of transverse cracking and joint faulting for a wide range of design input parameters and axlespectrum. The developed MGGP-based models match Pavement ME-predicted cracking and faulting for rigidpavements with conventional concrete slab thicknesses and enable rational extrapolation of performance predictionfor thinner JPCPs. This paper demonstrates how the developed computational model enables sustainable lowvolumepavement design using optimized ME solutions for Pittsburgh, PA, conditions.

Estimation of the Equivalent Design Temperature of a Pavement in Burkina Faso

The bituminous pavements of the city of Ouagadougou(Burkina Faso)are made using old design methods which take into account the climate from the notion of equivalent temperature.Thus an equivalent temperature of 30°C is often used for the design of bituminous pavements.The observation that has been made is that this temperature does not currently make it possible to reduce the problems of early degradation of the pavements linked to meteorological fluctuations.The objective of this article is to propose a numerical approach for determining the equivalent temperature from temperature measurements taken at the surface of the pavement.This approach consists in jointly using the Alizé-Lcpc sizing software and the Comsol Multiphysics software using the finite element method.For a four-layer bituminous pavement,located at 12.38°North and 1.48°West,in Ouagadougou,consisting of a surface course of bituminous concrete of 8 cm and a base course of gravel bitumen of 16 cm,an equivalent temperature of 35°C was obtained.

A systematic review of steel bridge deck pavement in China

As an important part of steel bridge deck,the engineering quality and service condition of steel bridge deck pavement(SBDP)directly affects the capacity and operational efficiency of the bridge.This paper reviews the history of the development of SBDP in China over the past 20 years from the exploration stage,rapid development stage and prosperity stage.The development and application of SBDP at different stages are discussed in terms of materials,structure,design,performance evaluation,maintenance and rehabilitation,respectively.The advantages and disadvantages of different pavement materials and structures,and the application of different research methods are summarized.The review shows that the improvement of pavement materials and structures and the development of new materials should be further studied on the multi-scale to enhance the durability of pavement materials,so as to extend the service life of pavements.The design method of SBDP related to the synergistic effect of vehicle,pavement and bridge should be established,and the design concept and method standard of rigid base pavement structure should be improved and formulate a complete design standard.In addition,multi-disease intelligent identification system and equipment should be studied to track the entire course of disease development in real time.And it is necessary to develop appropriate algorithms to select and classify the complex data of disease and maintenance history.

A review on the best practices in concrete pavement design and materials in wet-freeze climates similar to Michigan

The research presented in this paper aims to identify best practices of design and materials for concrete pavements in wet-freeze climates similar to the Michigan State. For the purposes of this paper, a best practice is a procedure that has been shown by field-validated research or experience to produce improved results and that is established or proposed as a standard suitable for widespread implementation. The local wet-freeze climate makes the requirements for Michigan's pavement system different from many other regions. Wetfreeze climates can result in various concrete pavement distress mechanisms such as thermally-induced cracking, freeze-thaw deterioration, accelerated cracking due to loss of support, frost heave, and material degradation. Therefore, appropriate procedures for design and material selection need to be selected to withstand high precipitation and freezing winter temperatures. Failure to take into account the climatic conditions may lead to inadequate or reduced pavement performance. However, utilizing appropriate techniques and materials could potentially improve the quality and increase the service life of the concrete pavement. Three design methods and five materials have been identified, and examples of their successful performance in wet-freeze climates are provided. In addition, the reasons that give them the superior performance in wet-freeze climates are discussed in detail.

OPTIMUM DESIGN OF FLEXIBLE PAVEMENT STRUCTURE BY FLEXIPLEX TOLERANCE METHOD

The optimum design for flexible pavement structure is studied by using themethod of mathematical programming.The mathematical model is founded on the basisof“Design Code of Highway Flexible Pavement”issued by the Ministry of Communica-tions of China.The objective function is the cost of pavement structure.The optimal solu-tions of the mathematical model were searched successfully by flexiplex tolerance method.The relevant program has been developed on DPS-8 and IBM-PC computers.And thecalculated results show good convergence and accuracy for engineering applications.

Structural Design of Asphalt Pavement for Low Cost Rural Roads

On the basis of the equivalent axle load action frequency, the traffic classifications of rural roads as well as their corresponding types are classified. The asphalt pavement structure, road surface types and thickness of the rural roads are suggested for the various action frequency of the equivalent axle load. Furthermore, the roadbase thickness graphs are provided according to different equivalent axle load action frequency with different roadbed modulus and road surface modulus taken into account.

水泥混凝土道面可靠性设计指标计算方法

基于水泥混凝土道面可靠性设计指标的计算方法,分析目前计算方法存在的问题与不足,并提出算法的改进。我国工程结构设计标准提供的可靠指标基本采用安全系数换算、分项系数基本采用安全系数或可靠指标换算,该算法可能存在不同设计状况的设计结果不符合可靠性宏观规律、不同设计指标的设计结果不具有一致性的问题,原因在于可靠性设计指标的计算忽视了设计变量之间的相关性;将变量间相关性纳入工程整体可靠度考虑,改进得到的可靠指标与分项系数计算式具有更好的适用性;应用到水泥混凝土道面工程,通过抗力性质判断变量之间是否具有相关性,再分别定量统计相关系数值,最后通过改进算法计算可靠性指标的适宜值。

港口重载AGV驱动防滑设计

针对港口重载自动导引运输车(AGV)工作中遇到的过度滑转危险,文中提出一种基于最佳滑转率控制的驱动防滑设计。该设计根据港口环境特点建立路面附着特性模型;选用T-S型模糊控制器进行港口路面模糊识别设计,对峰值纵向附着系数及最佳滑转率进行识别,并将识别结果用于最佳滑转率控制中,进而提升港口AGV驱动防滑性能。通过单一路面与对接路面识别试验,验证了港口路面模糊识别器具有准确识别能力。

基于LCA的不同设计寿命沥青路面能耗排放分析

为研究不同设计寿命沥青路面的能耗排放特征,建立生命周期评价体系,量化分析柔性基层沥青路面、典型半刚性基层沥青路面、高掺量胶粉沥青路面的能耗排放。通过灵敏度分析确定主要能耗排放环节,并分析水泥类型、温拌技术、再生技术及运输效率对三种沥青路面能耗排放的影响规律。结果表明,典型半刚性基层沥青路面的能耗强度分别比柔性基层沥青路面及高掺量胶粉沥青路面能耗强度高25.29%、153.03%,全球变暖潜值总量比两种长寿命沥青路面分别高106.97%、107.99%;水泥生产、沥青生产、加热及运输环节为主要能耗排放环节;适用于水稳基层的通用水泥中,矿渣硅酸盐水泥能耗排放最低,替换掉普通硅酸盐水泥后典型半刚性基层沥青路面及高掺量胶粉沥青路面碳排放量分别下降了13.17%、12.43%;采用温拌技术后,柔性基层沥青路面碳排放量下降幅度最大,降低了2.41%,高掺量胶粉沥青路面能耗强度下降幅度最大,降低了3.71%;当RAP掺量达到30%时,三类沥青路面能耗强度分别下降20.64%、18.56%、15.26%,碳排放量分别下降6.92%、3.92%、4.39%;运输效率提升幅度与沥青路面的能耗排放减少率呈正相关,运输效率每提升10%,三类沥青路面能耗强度分别下降1.55%、1.63%、2.10%,碳排放量分别下降4.03%、3.26%、3.07%。

长大纵坡沥青路面车辙发展规律与轴载换算修正系数研究

现有设计规范未对长大纵坡路面做出特殊设计规定,直接套用设计规范忽略了其受力特点,不能较好地保证路面使用性能及寿命。为实现特殊路段路面结构差异化设计,该文基于实测沥青混合料动态模量、全年交通量及温度数据,利用自主开发的温度-轴载分析软件,将真实交通量转换为标准轴载。采用Abaqus软件,建立实测轴载与温度耦合作用下的车辙模型,分析长大纵坡对车辙发展规律的影响。研究表明:坡度增大导致速度降低,容易引发长大纵坡路段沥青路面车辙病害的发生。基于车辙等效原理,提出不同坡度及坡长下的轴载换算修正系数,为长大纵坡路段沥青路面的差异化设计提供理论依据。

城市道路路面设计及优化创新策略研究

为全面优化与创新路面设计思路,保证路面设计更科学、合理,确保道路交通运输质量,文章对城市道路路面设计进行了研究,结合庆盛枢纽区块综合开发项目庆盛人工智能产业园及安置配套工程实例,从路面结构设计、沥青路面材料指标设计、水泥稳定基层设计三方面详细阐述了道路路面设计方法。在此基础上,提出了道路路面优化创新设计策略,包括抗裂抗滑设计、无障碍设计、海绵设计,旨在改善城市道路路用性能,切实满足新时期城市交通需求。

基于建养一体化的高速公路拼宽改建段路面设计方法研究

通过对我国华南地区高速公路拼宽改建段路面病害类型及形成原因的深入分析,选择了裂缝率、车辙深度和平整度指数作为拼宽改建段控制路面服务性能的设计指标,针对各指标建立了相应的分析和预测模型,提出了基于建养一体化的拼宽改建段路面设计指标;结合环境参数、交通量、材料参数、分析期等因素以及基于建养一体化的效益费用分析计算,形成了基于建养一体化的高速公路拼宽段路面设计方法及流程。采用该方法对广东省某高速公路改扩建项目的拼宽改建段路面结构进行设计,结果显示,通车3年后,路面技术状况较好,裂缝和车辙病害较少,表明该设计方法充分考虑了拼宽改建段路面性能需求,达到了建养一体化的设计目的。

基于多尺度加载试验的沥青路面结构参数设计方法

基于江苏省典型路面结构,通过改变试件尺寸、温度和荷载作用次数对SMA-13、SUP-20和SUP-253种材料开展动态模量和蠕变试验。将结果耦合到修正的Burgers模型并在ABAQUS中开发用户材料子程序模型。对室内单轴试验分别采用应变硬化和子程序模型进行模拟、对小型和大型路面加载试验分别进行车辙模拟。结果表明3种材料的动态模量随试件尺寸增加而增大、温度升高而减小;SUP-25的疲劳损伤效应最为明显,在重复加载5400次后损伤值达到了0.419。子程序模拟单轴试验的误差小于应变硬化模型、车辙模拟与小型和大型加载测试结果的误差分别为3.08%和2.83%,说明模型在单层及多层复合材料的应用中都是有效的。模拟表明夏季高温100万次加载的变形量为春季常温的1.8倍;行车速度由22 km/h增加至120 km/h时,变形量减少72.6%;轴载增加100%,车辙深度增加48.52%,表明在高温地区低速路段要尤其限制车辆超载。累计标准轴载作用次数超过2500万次,车辙变形进入加速累积阶段,须及时对该路面结构进行养护维修。