PERFORMANCE OF BLACK BASE PAVEMENTS IN TEXAS

The performance of black base and flexible base pavements in five of the Texas Highway Department's twenty-five is discussed in both general terms and by comparing performance based on road roughness measurements and by the utilization of a formal roadway maintenance evalution system. Traffic load associated cracking is nearly non-existent on the fifty-four black base pavement sections surveyed in the climatic extremes of Texas. The amount of transverse and longitudinal cracking which often form a "large block" cracking pattern typical of the West Texas area can be reduced by the use of black bases rather than the conventional flexible base pavements. Swelling clay problems have not, however, been solved by the use of black base. The recent escalation in the price of bituminous treated materials has increased the necessity to explore the use of other binder and aggregate systems than those conventionally utilized in black base. The types of materials utilized for black bases in Texas are discussed together with their thicknesses.

• Record URL:
  • https://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trcircular/177/177-003.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00978515
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Epps, J A
  • Gallaway, B M
• Publication Date: 1976-6

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 13-20
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Circular
  • Issue Number: 177
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0097-8515

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bituminous bases; Bituminous materials; Flexible pavements; Longitudinal cracking; Pavement cracking; Pavement maintenance; Pavement performance; Roughness; Traffic loads; Transverse cracking
• Old TRIS Terms: Flexible base pavements
• Subject Areas: Freight Transportation; Highways; Materials; Pavements;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00138803
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Sep 16 1976 12:00AM