Design of Overlays Based on Pavement Condition, Roughness, and Deflections: Part 1: Tentative Method for Overlay Design Based on Visual Pavement Distress

Report No: 78-R24

Published in 1978

About the report:

Data collected on 111 interstate highway projects in Virginia were analyzed by multi-regression analysis and the rating coefficient for each type of distress determined. By this means, the total pavement distress and, hence, the maintenance rating of each pavement was obtained. The types of distress that were found to influence the maintenance rating were longitudinal cracking, alligator cracking, rutting pushing, raveling, and patching. Then, a method for designing the required thickness of an overlay was developed based on taking the thickness equivalency of an asphaltic concrete overlay in Virginia as equal to 0.5 (the thickness equivalency of an asphaltic concrete for new construction is 1.0) and the overlay thickness as a function of the ratio of the traffic, in terms of 18-kip (8,160 kg) equivalents, carried by the pavement before the overlay to the traffic it would carry after the overlay, depending on the durability of the asphaltic mix. This design method does not require the use of a deflection measuring device.

Disclaimer Statement:The contents of this report reflect the views of the author(s), who is responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of the Virginia Department of Transportation, the Commonwealth Transportation Board, or the Federal Highway Administration. This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. Any inclusion of manufacturer names, trade names, or trademarks is for identification purposes only and is not to be considered an endorsement.

Authors

  • Nari K. Vaswani

Last updated: January 27, 2024

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