A Field-Calibrated Shear Strain Rut Prediction Model

Accurate prediction of pavement rutting under the actions of traffic load and changing environmental conditions is critical to efficient pavement design. The main causes for flexible pavement rutting are shear deformation and densification. An effort was made in this study to develop a rut prediction model from the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) Test Track structural study sections. Hot mix asphalt (HMA) layer rutting was the only source of rutting observed in all eight sections. During the development of the rut prediction model, two different approaches were evaluated and compared. First, a vertical strain-based rut model was built by relating the measured rutting to the vertical strain on the top of granular layers and the number of truck axle passes. In the second approach, rutting was linked with maximum shear strain in the HMA layer and the number of truck axle passes. The model coefficients were analyzed for both approaches and their validity was evaluated. It was concluded that the shear strain model predicted rutting realistically and the model coefficients distinguished rutting in polymer-modified and unmodified asphalt sections. The model development methodology, comparison of both models and their limitations are detailed in this paper. From this study, it was concluded that using the maximum shear strain in the HMA layer along with the number of axle passes in the rut model is a viable approach to predict HMA rutting.

• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Immanuel, Suresh
  • Timm, David H
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 86th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2007-1-21 to 2007-1-25
• Date: 2007

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: CD-ROM
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 16p
• Monograph Title: TRB 86th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers CD-ROM

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Hot mix asphalt; Pavement design; Pavement distress; Pavement layers; Pavement maintenance; Pavement performance; Pavements; Ruts (Pavements); Rutting; Shear strain; Shear strength; Traffic loads
• Identifier Terms: National Center for Asphalt Technology
• Subject Areas: Design; Freight Transportation; Highways; Materials; Pavements; I22: Design of Pavements, Railways and Guideways; I31: Bituminous Binders and Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01044565
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 07-0390
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Feb 8 2007 4:57PM