ESSO ROAD DESIGN TECHNOLOGY

The pavement design method developed at ESSO embodies a rutting and a fatigue subsystem. The input data encompasses the climate, traffic and subgrade variables on the one hand, and the asphalt mixes dynamic properties on the other. These properties are measured through three tests: dynamic modulus, dynamic creep and uniaxial push-pull fatigue tests. They are performed on realistic specimens prepared with the Esso laboratory compactor. The test results are processed statistically and the damage laws are obtained: these connect the elemental damage undergone by the material to each stress and temperature conditions. The stresses inside the pavement are computed assuming the pavement can be modelized as a three-layer elastic system. The total damage caused to the pavement is obtained by integrating the related elemental damage over the climate and traffic variables: the rutting subsystem attempts to provide an actual prediction of the rut depth development for surface courses, asphalt overlays and asphalt layers laid on top of stiff foundation; the fatigue subsystem only provides a comparative index which allows arraying the different structures, and can be used as an optimization criterion. Besides the method itself, a simplified testing equipment for asphalt mixes was developed. Its simplicity and low cost allow performing the dynamic tests on a routine basis and therefore contribute to make the design method available to practising engineers. /Author/

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Volume I of proceedings of 4th International Conference on Structural Design of Asphalt Pavements, Ann Arbor, Michigan, August 22-26, 1977.
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

  Department of Civil Engineering
  Ann Arbor, MI  United States  48109
• Authors:
  • Celard, B
• Conference:
  • Volume I of proceedings of 4th International Conference on Structural Design of Asphalt Pavements, Ann Arbor, Michigan, August 22-26, 1977.
• Publication Date: 1977-1

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 249-268

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aircraft; Asphalt mixtures; Creep; Dynamic modulus of elasticity; Equipment; Fatigue (Physiological condition); Fatigue tests; Modulus of elasticity; Pavement design; Testing
• Old TRIS Terms: Aircraft equipment
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Highways; Pavements; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00170217
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: Proceeding
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 14 1978 12:00AM