Forensic Evaluation of Premature Failures of Texas Specific Pavement Study–1 Sections
Publication: Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities
Volume 17, Issue 2
Abstract
The Specific Pavement Study–1 pavement test section on US281 in south Texas comprise the largest Strategic Highway Research Program experimental site in the United States. The project was opened to traffic in 1997, and performance has been poor. Three of these test sections developed deep rutting within 1 year. Their surfaces were milled to restore ride quality. Three years after construction, 14 of the sections had 10 mm or more rutting. A forensic study was initiated by the Texas Department of Transportation to identify the cause of the problem. Nondestructive testing was conducted with both the falling weight deflector and ground penetrating radar. No structural problems were detected with either device, both indicating that the base and subbase layers were strong. A field investigation was initiated; the original plan was to cut nine trenches, however, after four trenches were cut, the problematic layer was identified and the trenching operation was terminated. Dynamic cone penetrometer, stiffness gauge, seismic pavement analyzer, and nuclear density gauge tests were then conducted on top of the base and subgrade layers. The trench profiles indicated that the rutting was coming primarily from the top 50-mm (2-inch) asphalt-concrete layer. Asphalt cores were taken from both rutted and nonrutted sections and bag samples of the base were tested in laboratory. The binder was recovered, and the asphalt content and penetration, aggregate gradation, and type were determined. The cause of the problem was traced to a change in aggregate screening, and also an excess of asphalt in the top layer.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
Chen, D-H., and Hugo, H.(2001). “Comparison of two pavement rehabilitation strategies.” J. Transp. Eng., 127(1), 47–58.
Chen, D. H., Bilyeu, J., Walker, D., and Murphy, M. (2001). “Study of rut-depth measurements.” Transportation Research Record 1764, Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C., 78–88.
Chen, D-H., Wang, J-H., and Bilyeu, J. (2001b). “Application of the DCP in evaluation of base and subgrade layers.” Transportation Research Record 1764, Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C., 1–10.
Livneh, M., Ishai, I., and Livneh, N. (1995). “Effect of vertical confinement on dynamic cone penetrometer strength values in pavement and subgrade evaluations.” Transportation Research Record 1473, Transportation Research Board, Washington, D.C., 1–8.
Powell, W. D., Potter, J. F., Mayhew, H. C., and Nunn, M. E. (1984). “The structural design of bituminous roads.” TRRL Report LR 1132,
Siekmeier, J. A., Young, D., and Beberg, D. (2000). “Comparison of the dynamic cone penetrometer with other tests during subgrade and granular base characterization in Minnesota, nondestructive testing of pavements and backcalculation of moduli.” ASTM STP 1375, S. D. Tayabji and E. O. Lukanen, eds., Vol. 3, West Conshohokan, Pa., 175–188.
Webster S. L., Grau, R. H., and Williams, R. P. (1992). “Description and application of dual mass dynamic cone penetrometer.” Instruction Report, No. GL-92-3, U.S. Army Engineers Waterways Experiment Station, Vicksburg, Miss.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
Copyright © 2003 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Feb 19, 2002
Accepted: May 21, 2002
Published online: Apr 15, 2003
Published in print: May 2003
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.