Road Damage and Rehabilitation

Introduction

The Road Pavement is the portion of the road located directly above the subgrade, and beneath
any wearing surface. It is typically constructed from compacted imported material such as
crushed rock. The road pavement is sometimes broken up into two components, namely the base
and the sub-base.

A road surface or pavement is the durable surface material laid down on an area intended to
sustain vehicular or foot traffic, such as a road or walkway.

Pavement failure occurs when an asphalt surface no longer holds its original shape and develops
material stress which causes issues. Pavement failure issues include cracking, potholes,
depressions, rutting, shoving, upheavals, and raveling.

History of Road
The assertion that the first pathways were the trails made by animals has not been universally
accepted; in many cases animals do not follow constant paths.Others believes that some roads
originated from following animal trails. The Icknield Way is given as an example of this type of
road origination, where human and animal both selected the same natural line .By about 10,000
BC, rough roads/pathways were used by human travelers. The world's oldest known paved road
was constructed in Egypt sometime between 2600 and 2200 BC.

Causes of Road Damage

What Causes Pavement Failure?

Pavement failure is caused by a number of variables including, water intrusion, stress from heavy
vehicles, expansion and contraction from seasonal temperature changes, and sun exposure. It is
important to keep up with proper maintenance like crack and asphalt sealing to prevent cracks
from spreading or forming.

1.) TRAFFIC
Traffic is the most important factor influencing pavement performance. The performance of
pavements is mostly influenced by the loading magnitude, configuration and the number of load
repetitions by heavy vehicles.

2.) MOISTURE (WATER)

Moisture can significantly weaken the support strength of natural gravel materials, especially the
subgrade. Moisture can enter the pavement structure through cracks and holes in the surface,
laterally through the subgrade, and from the underlying water table through capillary action.

3.) SUBGRADE
The subgrade is the underlying soil that supports the applied wheel loads. If the subgrade is too
weak to support the wheel loads, the pavement will flex excessively which ultimately causes the
pavement to fail.

4.) ULTRAVIOLET RAYS

The ultraviolet rays make the pavement to undergo oxidation and bring it to a brittle state. On a
hot sunny day, the pavement temperature can be up to 140 degree Celsius. This is the softening
point of liquid asphalt. This will make the pavement to expand and move.The reduction of
temperature will make the pavement to contract. This expansion and contraction are the main
reason for initial cracking.

5.) CONSTRUCTION QUALITY

Failure to obtain proper compaction, improper moisture conditions during construction, quality
of materials, and accurate layer thickness (after compaction) all directly affect the performance
of a pavement. These conditions stress the need for skilled staff, and the importance of good
inspection and quality control procedures during construction.
 ROAD DAMAGE

TYPE OF ROAD DAMAGE

1. Cracking
2. Surface deformation
3. Disintegration
4. Surface defects

A. Cracking:
The most common types of cracking are:
1. Fatigue cracking (Alligator cracking)
2. Longitudinal cracking
3. Transverse cracking
4. Block cracking
5. Slippage cracking
6. Reflective cracking
7. Edge cracking

1. Alligator Cracking
Alligator cracking is a load associated structural failure. The failure can be due to weakness in
the surface, base or sub grade; a surface or base that is too thin; poor drainage or the combination
of all three.

2. Longitudinal (Linear) Cracking

Longitudinal cracking are cracks that are parallel to the pavements centerline or laydown
direction. These can be a result of pavement fatigue, reflective cracking, and/or poor joint
construction.

3. Transverse Cracking
Transverse cracks are single cracks perpendicular to the pavement's centerline or laydown
direction. Transverse cracks can be caused by reflective cracks from an underlying layer, daily
temperature cycles, and poor construction due to improper operation of the paver.

4. Block Cracking
Block cracks look like large interconnected rectangles. Block cracking is not load-associated, but
generally caused by shrinkage of the asphalt pavement due to an inability of asphalt binder to
expand and contract with temperature cycles. This can be because the mix was mixed and placed
too dry.

5. Slippage Cracks
Slippage cracks are crescent-shaped cracks or tears in the surface layer(s) of asphalt where the
new material has slipped over the underlying course. This problem is caused by a lack of
bonding between layers.

6. Joint Reflection Cracks

These are cracks in a flexible pavement overlay of a rigid pavement (i.e., asphalt over concrete).
They occur directly over the underlying rigid pavement joints.

7. Edge Cracks
Edge Cracks travel along the inside edge of a pavement surface within one or two feet. The most
common cause for this type of crack is poor drainage conditions and lack of support at the
pavement edge.

B. Surface deformation:
Pavement deformation is the result of weakness in one or more layers of the pavement that has
experienced movement after construction. The deformation may be accompanied by cracking.
Surface distortions can be a traffic hazard.

The basic types of surface deformation are:

1. Rutting 4. Depressions
2. Corrugations 5. Swell
3. Shoving
1. Rutting
Rutting is the displacement of pavement material that creates channels in the wheel path. Very
severe rutting will actually hold water in the rut. Rutting is usually a failure in one or more layers
in the pavement. The width of the rut is a sign of which layer has failed.

2. Corrugation
Corrugation is referred to as wash boarding because the pavement surface has become distorted
like a washboard. The instability of the asphalt concrete surface course may be caused by too
much asphalt cement, too much fine aggregate, or rounded or smooth textured coarse aggregate.
Corrugations usually occur at places where vehicles accelerate or decelerate. Minor corrugations
can be repaired with an overlay or surface milling. Severe corrugations require a deeper milling
before resurfacing.

3. Shoving
Shoving is also a form of plastic movement in the asphalt concrete surface layer that creates a
localized bulging of the pavement. Locations and causes of shoving are similar to those for
corrugations. Figure shows an example of shoving. Repair minor shoving by removing and
replacing. For large areas, milling the surface may be required, followed by an overlay.

4. Depressions
Depressions are small, localized bowl-shaped areas that may include cracking. Depressions
cause roughness, are a hazard to motorists, and allow water to collect. Depressions are typically
caused by localized consolidation or movement of the supporting layers beneath the surface
course due to instability. Repair by excavating and rebuilding the localized depressions.
Reconstruction is required for extensive depressions.

5. Swell
A swell is a localized upward bulge on the pavement surface. Swells are caused by an expansion
of the supporting layers beneath the surface course or the subgrade. The expansion is typically
caused by frost heaving or by moisture. Subgrades with highly plastic clays can swell in a
manner similar to frost heaves (but usually in warmer months). Repair swells by excavating the
inferior subgrade material and rebuilding the removed area. Reconstruction may be required for
extensive swelling.

C. Disintegration

The progressive breaking up of the pavement into small, loose pieces is called disintegration. If
the isintegration is not repaired in its early stages, complete reconstruction of the pavement may
be needed.

The two most common types of disintegration are:

1. Pot Holes
Small, bowl-shaped depressions in the pavement surface that penetrate all the way through the
asphalt layer down to the base course. They generally have sharp edges and vertical sides near
the top of the hole. Potholes are the result of moisture infiltration and usually the end result of
untreated alligator cracking

2. Patches:
A patch is defined as a portion of the pavement that has been removed and replaced. Patches are
usually used to repair defects in a pavement or to cover a utility trench. Patch failure can lead to
a more widespread failure of the surrounding pavement.

D. Surface defects:
Surface defects are related to problems in the surface layer.
The most common types of surface distress are:

1. Ravelling
2. Bleeding
3. Polishing
1. Ravelling:
Ravelling is the loss of material from the pavement surface. It is a result of insufficient adhesion
between the asphalt cement and the aggregate. Initially, fine aggregate breaks loose and leaves
small, rough patches in the surface of the pavement. As the disintegration continues, larger
aggregate breaks loose, leaving rougher surfaces.

2. Bleeding
Bleeding is defined as the presence of excess asphalt on the road surface which creates patches
of asphalt cement. Excessive asphalt cement reduces the skid-resistance of a pavement, and it
can become very slippery when wet, creating a safety hazard. This is caused by an excessively
high asphalt cement content in the mix, using an asphalt cement with too low a viscosity (too
flowable), too heavy a prime or tack coat, or an improperly applied seal coat. Bleeding occurs
more often in hot weather when the asphalt cement is less viscous (more flowable) and the traffic
forces the asphalt to the surface. Figure 13 shows an example of bleeding during hot weather.

3. Polishing:

Polishing is the wearing of aggregate on the pavement surface due to traffic. It can result in a
dangerous low friction surface. A thin wearing course will repair the surface.

ROAD REHABILITATION

Rehabilitation is performed primarily to provide better ride and skid resistance or to improve the
structural adequacy of the pavement.

Primary objectives of Pavement Rehabilitation (as indicated in the AASHTO policy)

1. Improve Surface Smoothness

2. Extend pavement life
3. Improve skid resistance
4. Reconstruct sections having poor foundations
5. Improve drainage

TYPE OF ROAD REHABILITATION

1. Replacing the pavement

Replacing the pavement is a standard procedure when repairing roads. The damaged pavement
layers are usually replaced with asphalt – irrespective of whether the distressed pavement
consisted of asphalt or concrete. The new surface course or asphalt road structure is paved by
road pavers prior to conventional compaction by rollers.

2. Fine milling
Fine milling is an alternative to time-consuming and expensive complete rehabilitation. This
method is used above all when traffic safety is severely compromised by undulations, ruts or a
slippery surface.

3. Paving thin layers hot

Paving thin layers in hot application is a method, offering an exceptionally economical
alternative to full pavement rehabilitation. Paving thin layers in hot application is eminently
suitable for roads in need of rehabilitation but with damages limited to the surface, or poor grip,
or pronounced surface irregularities.

4. Paving thin layers cold

Paving thin layers in cold application is a method that is increasingly used for restoring road
surfaces to good evenness and skid resistance. Known as “micro surfacing” in many countries
around the globe, paving thin layers in cold application prolongs the service life of damaged
asphalt roads without the need for replacing the entire road pavement.

5. InLine Pave
InLine Pave has become established as an official construction method according to German
regulatory frameworks. The binder and surface courses are paved "in line", i.e. one after another
"hot on hot" in a single pass.

6. Hot recycling
Porous and deformed surface courses can be rehabilitated by hot recycling, a process which is
exclusively applied in the form of a mobile construction site. An intact layer structure is essential
 here. Hot recycling improves all relevant properties of the surface and roadway profile, as well
as the composition of aggregate fractions in the surface course.

7. Cold recycling in-situ

Cold recycling in-situ is just the right technology when it comes to building a new road from
old. The sub-base of roads exposed to major stresses due to heavy goods traffic is often
damaged. To remedy this damage, the complete road structure must be repaired. Cold recycling
restores the roads' stability.

8. Cold recycling in-plant

Cold recycling “in-plant” is when the reclaimed asphalt material of roads in need of
rehabilitation is recycled in a nearby mixing plant, transported back to the job site, and then
placed again by road pavers. The method is often used with roads that are exposed to high loads
by heavy traffic, and with damages extending all the way into the pavement subgrade.

9. Reconstruction and Overlays

Reconstruction consists of removing the existing pavement system and replacing it with a
completely new asphaltic or portland-cement-concrete pavement and under courses.
Overlays can be either portland-cement or asphalt concrete placed on the existing pavement
system.

MAINTENANCE & REPAIR

Maintenance is the routine prevention and correction of normal damage and deterioration to
keep road in usable condition. Repair is that work necessary to correct damage caused by
abnormal use, accidents, hostile forces, and severe weather. Repair includes the resurfacing of
a road or runway when maintenance can no longer accomplish its purpose.

MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR CONSIDERATIONS

The purpose of all maintenance and repair activities is to keep roads in a usable and as safe a
condition .Prompt and adequate maintenance is important. Once surface deterioration or
destruction has started, it can proceed very rapidly. Postponing minor maintenance jobs can
result in the development of major repair jobs involving the subgrade, base course, and
surface.

Guidelines when performing maintenance and repair work:

1. Ensure that maintenance and repair activities interfere as little as possible with the normal
flow of traffic.
Whenever feasible, plan and perform maintenance and repair activities to permit at least partial
use of the facility. When it is necessary to close the facility to all traffic, select alternative
facilities or perform repair work at night or during periods of reduced activity. Reopen the
facility as soon as practicable.
2. Remedy the cause before repairing the problem.
For example, surface repairs made on a defective subgrade are wasted. All maintenance and
repair jobs should include an investigation to find the cause of the damage or deterioration. To
ignore the cause is to invite the prompt reappearance of damage. Ignore the cause only when
making temporary repairs to meet immediate, minimum needs under combat or other urgent
conditions.
3. Maintain and repair existing surfaces as closely as possible to the original construction in
strength, appearance, and texture.
Spot strengthening may create differences in wear and traffic impact that can harm adjoining
surfaces. Also, uniformity simplifies maintenance and repair operations.
4. Prioritize the needed repairs based on the traffic volume, and the hazards.
For example, roads used for tactical- operations support take priority over less essential facilities.
One pothole in a heavily used road that is in otherwise excellent condition takes priority over
repairs to less heavily used roads in poor condition.

MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR OPERATIONS

Maintenance and repair operations include many tasks besides improving the pavement
condition. To ensure a comprehensive maintenance and repair operation, incorporate the
following tasks:
 Maintenance and repair operations task

1. Routine inspections.
2. Material stockpiling.
3. Maintenance and repair of all related drainage systems.
4. Maintenance and repair of the actual pavement.
5. Miscellaneous tasks, including the maintenance and repair of necessary buildings, structures, and
utilities, and the operation of necessary utilities.

MAINTENANCE INSPECTIONS
The purpose of maintenance inspections is to detect early evidence of defects before actual
failure occurs. Frequent inspections and effective follow-up procedures prevent minor defects
from becoming major repair jobs. Inspect surface and drainage systems carefully during rainy
seasons and spring thaws and after heavy storms.

Surface Inspection

Surface defects can usually be attributed to excessive loads, inferior surfacing material, poor
subgrade or base conditions, inadequate drainage, or a combination of these conditions.
Surface inspections should include a complete inventory of the current pavement defects.
Careful investigation of the causes of the defects will allow for timely maintenance to prevent
the pavement defects from requiring repair.

Drainage Inspection

Ensure that all drainage channels and structures are unobstructed. Check culverts and drainage
lines for structural damage. Inspect check dams for debris and excessive erosion. Investigate
water ponding on or adjacent to surfaced areas. Inspect the system drainage during or after
every storm. Also, thoroughly inspect the system in late fall to prepare for winter and in early
spring to ensure minimum spring breakup difficulties. Inspect subsurface drains at least twice a
year.

SOURCE:

https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/army/fm/5-430-00-1/CH8.htm

http://www.pavemanpro.com/article/identifying_asphalt_pavement_defects/

https://www.wirtgen-group.com/en/technologies/road-rehabilitation/

Highway engineering by Clarkson Oglesby, R. Gary Hicks

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road

https://theconstructor.org/transportation/types-failures-in-flexible-pavements-repair/16124/

Pavement Deterioration and its Causes By: Sharad.S.Adlinge, Prof.A.K.Gupta

Members:

CHAVEZ, FRANZEN VEE, SUMODIO, MYLE

NEQUIA , THEA TABANGCORA, CELINE

SILOTERIO, ALEXIS