Factors Affecting Performance of Pavement Systems

Primarily, the approach to solving pavement problems involving a wide range of environmental and material variables has been to resolve individual and isolated cases as they occur. Because of the overall complexity of the problem, however, it is evident that true solutions can be obtained only by looking at the total pavement system, and it is probable that this can be done only in the context of systems engineering. This paper describes the accomplishments of a project initiated by AASHO through the National Cooperative Highway Research Program and of other related work with regard to the development of an overall description of the pavement system. It introduces systems engineering concepts, presents a preliminary development of the pavement structural system and discusses failure modes and their effect on pavement performance as it affects the overall problem. Distress manifestations, decision criteria, and the factors affecting each are stated and failure definitions are suggested. Additional research needed to solve the problem is considered.