Difference between codes IRC-37:2012 and IRC-37:2001

Growth rate of commercial vehicles has been reduced from 7.5% to 5%, if specified data is not
available or less than 5%. (Cl. 4.2.2)

Instead of only sub-grade CBR, effective sub-grade CBR has o be considered. (with
embankment soil of lower CBR, effective sub-grade CBR comes somewhat less than CBR of
sub-grade only) (Cl. 5.2 and Fig. 5.1 Page : 11). This is an important concept incorporated in this
version of the guideline by which not only the subgrade CBR has to be checked but also the CBR
value of the soil below 500mm of the subgrade (which is supposed to be embankment) has to be
checked.

Design life of NH and SH is minimum 15 yrs., for Expressways and Urban Roads it is
minimum 20 yrs. For any other category of roads the design life is recommended to be
considered for 10 yrs to 15 years. (Cl. 4.3.2)

Resilient Modulus of Bituminous mixes at different temperature and with different grade of
bitumen and even with modified bitumen has been specified as per table 7.1. It is useful for
finding out equivalent thickness using the formula E1H13/12(1 22) as given in Annex-III (Page
: 65). [Table 7.1 (Page : 23) is much detailed than the earlier version]. However, there are some
questions for the MR values of mixes with different binders as mentioned in table 7.1. No
reference research back-up has also been mentioned against this table.12) = E2H23/12(1

Up to 30 msa, 80% design reliability and beyond 30 msa, 90% design reliability has been
considered. (Cl. 6.2.2 and Cl. 6.3, Page : 13, 15)

Beyond 30 msa, higher grade of bitumen i.e., VG-40 has been recommended both for DBM
and BC layers (Cl. 10.1) and up to 30 msa VG-30 grade bitumen has been recommended. Cl.
6.2.2. [last paragraph (Page : 14) ] and Annex-I. (Page : 49)

For traffic below 2 msa, IRC:SP:72 (2007) (Guidelines for design of flexible pavements for
low volume rural roads) should be used. (Note (a) page 25, Cl.10.)

Pavement thickness design for traffic between 2 and 30 msa is exactly same as IRC:37 (2001)
[Note (b) page 25 Cl.-10]. For traffic above 30 msa, new design charts have been provided (Plate
1 Plate 24). But it is better to follow 2012 version of IRC:37 for pavement composition,
because some pavement composition like premix carpet etc. have been dropped.

There is no provision of Premix Carpet and Seal Coat. For traffic 2 msa to 5 msa, provision of
SDBC has been recommended and beyond 5 msa, only BC has been recommended as the top
wearing course. (Plate 1-24)
 IRC:37 (2012) has provided 5 (five) different options of choosing base and sub-base with
introduction of cementitious base and cementitious sub-base and foamed bitumen/bitumen
emulsion treated Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) material. This has given the scope of
reduction of thickness of bituminous layer by providing newer alternatives of base and sub-base,
different from the conventional idea of granular base and sub-bases as well as recycling of
natural resources. (Cl. 10, Page : 24). This is one of the major new incorporations in the latest
version.

In eleven annexes, many important topics like drainage layer design, chemically stabilized base
and sub-base, cementitious base and sub-base, mix-design with RAP material, choice of grade of
bitumen, choice of bituminous wearing courses etc. have been discussed in details. The aspects
of Bituminous Mix Design has been discussed in details and described as an integral part of
pavement design. In the choice of wearing courses, Mastic Asphalt should have also been
incorporated, however it is not there.

The equations for rutting and fatigue has been provided and explained in this version. From
these equations, allowable horizontal tensile strain in bituminous layers, allowable vertical
compressive strain on sub-grade, allowable tensile strain in cementitious layer or on any other
critical locations can be calculated. The actual strains whatever are coming on different critical
locations after provision of different composition and thickness as designed as per Plate-1 to
Plate-24, can be cross-checked with the help of a software IITPAVE. If the actual strains are
found to be more than the allowable strains, the thickness of the pavement has to be modified
accordingly. Thus the design of pavement now requires much better and detailed understanding
than it was before.

The design of pavement for very high volume traffic (300 msa) has been provided in Annex-II
(design example). (Page : 62)

In Indian Context, comparatively newer concept of Perpetual Pavement (with very long life
50 yrs. or more) has been incorporated in this version (Cl. 8 and design example in Annex-II)
(Page : 23 and 63)

Actual determination of vehicle damage factor (VDF) is very important in view of overloading.
As code can not be formulated for illegal activity like overloading, the default values of VDF has
been retained unchanged in this version of code (Table 4.2). But for medium to large projects
(say for Rs.10 crores and more), axle load survey should be must for actual determination of
VDF which is often omitted during preparation of DPR, otherwise the early damage of road due
to overloading can not be taken into account. As per a recent study on VDF on a State Highway,
the VDF after proper axle load survey was found to be as high as 22. The present guideline has
recommended for actual determination of VDF by proper axle load survey, however, in absence
of that general values are tabled, quite naturally which did not take care of the illegal activity like
overloading.
 Lane-distribution factor for Two-lane single carriageway roads, has been modified to 50% from
75% (earlier version) but the higher VDF out of either direction has been recommended for
design. (Cl. 4.5.1-ii, page-8).

A newer concept about placement of upper and lower GSB layers has been introduced. As per
Cl. No.- 7.2.1.3 the lower GSB layer should act as a separation / filter layer to prevent intrusion
of Sub-Grade soil into the pavement, thus should be close graded and the upper GSB should act
as drainage layer to drain away any water that may enter through surface cracks, thus, should be
open graded. It is made even clearer in the design example in page 63 of the 2012 version of the
code. In general, it is usual practice that upper the pavement layers, closer and denser they are.
But in case of GSB, the coarser layer should come on upper layer, however, it may be denser
than the lower closer graded GSB.

While in IRC:37(2012), it is recommended to do the GSB in two layers, in 5th. Revision, it is

said no layer of GSB should be done in thickness lower than 150mm. In many combinations of
pavement design composition as per IRC:37(2012), GSB thickness is coming as 200mm only.
Thus, in that case GSB can not be done in two layers. Here provision as laid down in cl.11.4 of
IRC:37(2012) has to be followed which states about the requirement of the permeability of the
filter layer and also preventing the entry of the soil particles in the drainage layer.

The concept of bottom rich bituminous layer has also been introduced. Since the critical
location of tensile strain is located at the bottom of bituminous layer [reference Fig. 10.1 page :
25], lower DBM layer is compacted to an air void of 3% after rolling (instead of generally 7% to
8 % for upper DBM and BC layer after rolling) with volume of bitumen close to 13% (Bitumen
content of bottom DBM layer may be 0.5 to 0.6% higher than the optimum bitumen content) and
thereby making the lower DBM layer more ductile to withstand greater tensile strain. As this
layer is located below the BC layer and top DBM layer, around 80 to 100 mm below the top
surface of pavement, by effect of higher temperature and heavy traffic, chances of rutting or
plastic deformation in bitumen rich bottom DBM layer is remote.

Therefore, it is called bottom rich bituminous layer. [reference Cl. 10.1 page 25 and also design
example vide page 63]

A new concept of 90 percentile CBR is recommended in the new guideline as per Annex-IV
page : 67. The CBR values of the sub-grade soil vary along a highway alignment even on a
homogeneous section. Therefore, sub-grade CBR likely to be applicable for a considerable
length of stretch based on statistical calculation is more rational approach than dealing with
varied CBR values from section to section.

The method of determination of 90 percentile CBR has been described in Fig. IV.1 page 67. This
guideline recommends 90 percentile CBR which is a bit on conservative side (i.e., the CBR value
comes a bit lesser) than Asphalt Institutes recommendation of 87.5 percentile sub-grade
modules for design traffic greater than one msa.