Rutting in Newly Laid Asphalt Concrete Layer on NH-2

Basically, rutting on pavement is classified into two types: mix rutting and rutting in
subgrade / granular layers.
i) Mix rutting
Rutting under the wheel with an accompanying heave on side which is possible to
due to

Insufficient initial compaction making the HMA vulnerable to high secondary

compaction under heavy traffic.

Improper mix design or manufacture

o Excessively high asphalt content or Improper selection of aggregate
gradation that permits the reduction of air voids to less than 3% under
secondary compaction, leading to rutting under heavy axle loads when
pavement temperatures rise in summer.
o Using soft grade bitumen (in present case this is not applicable since
VG 40 is being used)

Insufficient Initial Compaction:

In the Marshall procedure of Manual Series-2, the laboratory compaction (75 blows
on each side) is intended to simulate the in-place density after the mix has endured
several years of traffic. In case of high density traffic corridors like NH-2 associated
with high magnitude loads, secondary compaction takes place with in short time
after construction and in place densities increase beyond laboratory density. As the
density increases, air voids in the mix decrease. As the air voids decrease below
3%, the asphalt film enveloping the aggregates particles tends to push them apart,
reducing the aggregate contact. This action becomes more and more predominant
as the pavement temperature rise in summer and decrease viscosity of asphalt.
Because of falling viscosity of asphalt and the diminished aggregate particle
contact, the mix loses its shear resistance and deforms as a rut under wheel
accompanying heave on the side.
To check the possible decreasing of air voids after secondary compaction, it is
advised to find out the air voids in the mix by giving 250 blows on either side
( International guidelines says that density of bitumen mixes reach to refusal
density levels by giving 200 to 250 blows of compaction on either side) . If the air
voids are more than 3% after compacting 250 blows, generally those mixes
performs well.
Improper mix design or manufacture:
To have adequate stability and sustained performance (durability), asphalt concrete
mixes must have enough bitumen to bind the aggregates particles with adequate
film thickness and also have enough air voids to avoid failure by plastic

deformation. This implies that the mix should have higher VMA so as to have room
for both enough bitumen and sufficient airvoids. A high VMA value can be achieved
by choosing aggregates with good physical properties, that is, of angular shape,
rough surface texture and an appropriate blend of aggregate size fractions i.e
aggregate gradation. To examine the VMA generating capacity, an aggregate
gradation need to be compared with 0.45 power grading (maximum density
grading), representing the percentage passing a given sieve size d=100*(d/D) 045,
where D is the maximum size of aggregate of the selected grading. Plotting grading
on 0.45 power grading is shown below.

Grading that plots close to the 0.45 power grading give rise to low VMA values.
Gradings that plots above or below are capable of generating greater VMA values.
However, grading plots below 0.45 power grading line is coarser grading which has
good internal friction and also yield high VMA values and should be preferred.
Sometimes, excess asphalt may also go into mix due to defects in manufacture
which also leads to rutting and need to be checked and rectified.
In the present case also it is advised to check the grading by plotting on 0.45 power
grading and based on that good conclusion could be drawn.
Tests to be conducted on Mix rutted sections: It is suggested to take the cores
at three locations on the cross section of the deformed road. The three locations are
a) in the rut b) on the accompanying heave c) un-rutted location on the same cross
section. Find out the thickness of BC and DBM layers of cores collected on three
locations. Also, find the Air voids and aggregate gradation of cores. Based on
thickness of pavement layers, airvoids and aggregate gradation, conclusions can be
drawn whether BC or DBM layer is weak or both the layers are weak and
accordingly, proper rehabilitation plan could be suggested.
Correcting Mix rutting Surface: This type of rutting can be corrected through hot
in-place recycling i.e by milling the rutted surface (depth of milling depends on
whether BC or DBM layer is rutted or both layers are rutted. If BC layer alone is
rutted, upto BC thickness can be removed and relaid) and relay by adding virgin
aggregates and bitumen as per mix design.

ii) Subgrade / Granular layers rutting

Rutting on the surface without accompanying heave on side is generally due to
deformation of subgrade or any granular layers. This occurs mainly due to
inadequate compaction of lower pavement layers or using inadequate thickness of
pavement which cause excessive stresses on subgrade.
To identify, which layer is rutted, pavement need to be cut across on deformed
location up to subgrade level. Sufficient width of cutting need to be maintained to
observe the condition of layers properly. Based, visual inspection conclusion can be
drawn which layer is rutted.
Correcting subgrade / granular layer rutting Surface: Depends on which layer
is rutted, pavement need to be removed upto that layer and compact it to the
maximum density then relay the upper layers. Alternatively, if subgrade rutting is
noticed due to poor quality subgrade soil or less compaction, instead of removing
the WMM and GSB layers, loosen the WMM layer and stabilize it by adding cement
and compact it, but, on the stabilized layer a granular layer need to be laid then lay
the bitumen concrete layers.