Integral Pavement Design for US 24 in Ft. Wayne, Indiana: A Case Study

The current practice of pavement design requires that engineers take an integral approach to develop feasible design recommendations by considering pavement history, condition of the in-place pavement structure, traffic forecast, drainage, and treatment costs. Without a clear methodology, pavement designers could struggle to achieve their project’s objectives within the client’s deadline and budget. This case study details the process followed to develop a final pavement design recommendation for a 0.87-mi long stretch of US 24 adjacent to Interstate I-69 near Ft. Wayne, Indiana. The design was developed using falling weight deflectometer (FWD) test results, pavement management condition data, geotechnical recommendations, and traffic forecasts. Additionally, the design team conducted a field condition survey in March 2022. The final design recommendation was a preventive maintenance overlay treatment of a 2.0-in. mill and 2.0-in. hot-mix asphalt (HMA) overlay, expected to provide 12 years of functional life.