IRC Design Method for Flexible Pavements

Atul Narayan, S. P.
IIT Madras

September 6, 2015

Outline
Introduction
Scope
Pavement Analysis
Pavement distress models
Subgrade Properties
Material Properties of Pavement Materials
Traffic
Design Catalogue

Subordinate learning objectives

To analyze the stress-strain distribution in pavements for given

loading conditions. 3

To estimate pavement distresses based on stresses and

strains in pavement structure. 3

To explain the effect of mechanical properties on pavement

behavior and performance. 3

To analyze the stresses and distresses caused by vehicle

loading. 3

To estimate the expected volume of traffic in design life.

Outline
Introduction
Scope
Pavement Analysis
Pavement distress models
Subgrade Properties
Material Properties of Pavement Materials
Traffic
Design Catalogue

Scope

Source: IRC 37

Scope (cont.)

Source: IRC 37

Outline
Introduction
Scope
Pavement Analysis
Pavement distress models
Subgrade Properties
Material Properties of Pavement Materials
Traffic
Design Catalogue

Pavement Analysis

Pavements are analyzed through layered elastic analysis.

All assumptions made in Burmisters layer theory are also

used here.

Pavement analysis was conducted using IITPAVE.

Outline
Introduction
Scope
Pavement Analysis
Pavement distress models
Subgrade Properties
Material Properties of Pavement Materials
Traffic
Design Catalogue

Distress Models
Fatigue:
Nf = 2.21 104 t 3.89 MR0.854 (for 80% reliability)

Nf = 0.711 104 t 3.89 MR0.854 (for 90% reliability)

(1)
(2)

Fatigue life considering effect of binder content and air void content
Nf = 0.5161C 104 t 3.89 MR0.854
C = 10M

M = 4.84 (

(3)
(4)

Vb
0.69)
Vb + Va

(5)

Rutting:
Nr = 4.1656 108 v 4.5337 (for 80% reliability)
Nf =

1.41 108 v 4.5337

(for 90% reliability)

There are fatigue life equations for cementitious layers as well

(6)
(7)

Outline
Introduction
Scope
Pavement Analysis
Pavement distress models
Subgrade Properties
Material Properties of Pavement Materials
Traffic
Design Catalogue

California Bearing Ratio

It is the pressure required to penetrate a standard cylindrical

sample of soil at 1.25 mm/min, expressed as a percentage of
the pressure required for a standard material (usually crushed
rock).

It can be determined in-situ using a Dynamic Cone

Penetrometer (600 cone) test (ASTM D6951-09)
log10 CBR = 2.465 1.12 log10 N
where N is penetration in mm per blow.

(8)

Resilient Modulus from CBR

MR = 10CBR , CBR = 5
MR = 17.6(CBR )

0.64

, CBR > 5

where MR is the resilient modulus in MPa.

(9)
(10)

Distress Models
Fatigue:
Nf = 2.21 104 t 3.89 MR0.854 (for 80% reliability)

Nf = 0.711 104 t 3.89 MR0.854 (for 90% reliability)

(11)
(12)

Fatigue life considering effect of binder content and air void content
Nf = 0.5161C 104 t 3.89 MR0.854
C = 10M

M = 4.84 (

(13)
(14)

Vb
0.69)
Vb + Va

(15)

Rutting:
Nr = 4.1656 108 v 4.5337 (for 80% reliability)
Nf =

1.41 108 v 4.5337

(for 90% reliability)

There are fatigue life equations for cementitious layers as well

(16)
(17)

Outline
Introduction
Scope
Pavement Analysis
Pavement distress models
Subgrade Properties
Material Properties of Pavement Materials
Traffic
Design Catalogue

Subbase and Base

Granular Bases and Subbases:

MRgsb = 0.2h0.45 MRsubgrade

(18)

Cementitious Granular Subbase:

Ecgsb = 1000UCS
where UCS is the 28-day unconfined compressive strength
Unbound base:
MRgb = 0.2h0.45 MRsubgrade

(19)

(20)

Poissons ratio of all base and subbase materials can be taken as

0.35

Bituminous layers

Bituminous layers are classified into bituminous concrete (BC)

and dense bituminous macadam (DBM)

Resilient modulus can be determined by laboratory

experiments

Otherwise, typical values may be taken from the table below

Bituminous layers (cont.)

Outline
Introduction
Scope
Pavement Analysis
Pavement distress models
Subgrade Properties
Material Properties of Pavement Materials
Traffic
Design Catalogue

Load Equivalency Factors

Single axle Singlewheel (

axle load in kN

Single axle Dualwheel (

axle load in kN

Tandem axle Dualwheel (

axle load in kN

Tridem axle Dualwheel (

axle load in kN

65
80
148
224

(21)

(22)

(23)

(24)

Vehicle Damage Factors

It is the same as truck factors used in AASHTO and Asphalt

Institute Design Method

VDF is the equivalent number of standard axles per

commercial vehicle (depends on commercial vehicle)

Sometimes, the average VDF of all commercial vehicles

(considering the volume of each) is also called VDF

VDF must be arrived by conducting axle load surveys

Axle Load Survey

Indicative VDF Values

Design Traffic

N = 365

(1 + r )n 1
r

ADF

(25)

where
N is the cumulative number of standard axles in msa
r is the yearly growth rate of traffic
n is the design life of the pavement
A is the initial number of Commercial Vehicles Per
Day (CVPD)
D is the Lane distribution factor
F is the average VDF

Lane Distribution Factor

Recomended Values:

Single-lane roads: 100%

Two-lane single carriageway roads: 50%

Four-lane single carriageway roads: 40%

Dual carriageway roads: 75% of CVPD in each direction

Outline
Introduction
Scope
Pavement Analysis
Pavement distress models
Subgrade Properties
Material Properties of Pavement Materials
Traffic
Design Catalogue

Design Charts
Choice 1: Granular Base and Granular Subbase

Design Charts (cont.)

Choice 1: Granular Base and Granular Subbase

Design Charts
Choice 2: Bituminous Pavements with Cemented Base and Cemented Subbase with Crack
Relief Interlayer of Aggregate

Design Charts (cont.)

Choice 2: Bituminous Pavements with Cemented Base and Cemented Subbase with Crack
Relief Interlayer of Aggregate

Design Charts
Choice 3: Cemented Base and Cemented Subbase with SAMI at the Interface of Cemented
Base and the Bituminous Layer

SAMI - Stress Absorbing Membrane Interlayer

Design Charts (cont.)

Choice 3: Cemented Base and Cemented Subbase with SAMI at the Interface of Cemented
Base and the Bituminous Layer

Design Charts
Choice 4: Foamed Bitumen/Bitumen Emulsion Treated Rap/Aggregates Over Cemented
Subbase

Design Charts (cont.)

Choice 4: Foamed Bitumen/Bitumen Emulsion Treated Rap/Aggregates Over Cemented
Subbase

Design Charts
Choice 5: Cemented Base and Granular Subbase with Crack Relief Layer of Aggregate
Interlayer Above the Cemented Base

Design Charts (cont.)

Choice 5: Cemented Base and Granular Subbase with Crack Relief Layer of Aggregate
Interlayer Above the Cemented Base

Sample Calculations

IRC Recommendations