Evaluation of the Durability of Thin Lift Surface Treatments

Fourteen Thin Lift Treatments (TLTs) in Utah’s Department of Transportation (UDOT) Region 2 were evaluated over a five-year period in order to assess their performance. Surface distress data was quantified using Pavement Condition Indices (PCIs), and Remaining Service Life (RSL) were estimated following procedures utilized by UDOT. With the first 5 year’s evaluation, 2 TLT sections have failed by Wheel Pass (WP) index, and 2 TLT sections have failed by Environmental (ENV) index. I-80.1 and SR-210 failed due to the WP evaluation, and SR-89 and SR-210 failed due to the ENV evaluation with SR-210 failing mainly due to environmental distresses. In total 3 sections have reached failure. When all of the different treatments are grouped and both environmental and traffic loading were considered, it was found that the average life for the dense graded surface treatments was 7.3 years, while the average life for the open graded surface course was slightly better at 7.9 years. It is estimated that the average life of Stone Matrix Asphalt (SMA) is 11.7 years. The local TLTs were compared to similar pavements from the Long Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) database. Both UDOT and LTPP roads are seeing a greater number of environmental failures as opposed to structural or wheel path failures. It was concluded that environmental factors were the main cause of the deterioration of the surface treatments. The TLT’s placed on UDOT’s Region 2 have a life expectancy of at least 7 years. Based on their performance, it is recommended that, whenever feasible, SMA should be used on high valued roads.

• Record URL:
  https://www.ugpti.org/resources/reports/details.php?id=976
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This document was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers Program.
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Utah, Salt Lake City

  Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  122 South Central Campus Drive, Suite 104
  Salt Lake City, UT  United States  84112

  Mountain-Plains Consortium

  North Dakota State University
  Fargo, ND  United States  58108

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  Utah Department of Transportation

  Salt Lake City, UT  United States 
• Authors:
  • Romero, Pedro
  • Bao, Shuangli
  • Sudbury, Daniel
• Publication Date: 2019-11

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 62p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Durability; Evaluation and assessment; Overlays (Pavements); Pavement cracking; Pavement distress; Pavement performance; Roughness; Service life; Stone matrix asphalt; Surface course (Pavements); Surface treating
• Geographic Terms: Utah
• Subject Areas: Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Materials; Pavements;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01727661
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: MPC-19-404
• Contract Numbers: MPC-468
• Files: UTC, TRIS, ATRI, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Jan 21 2020 9:48AM