What is the difference between codes IRC-37:2012

and IRC-37:2001?
1 Answer

Sourav Behera, worked at RK University

Answered Apr 22, 2017
• Growth rate of commercial vehicles has been reduced from 7.5% to 5%, if specified data is
not available or less than 5%. (Cl. 4.2.2)

• Instead of only sub-grade CBR, effective sub-grade CBR has o be considered. (with
embankment soil of lower CBR, effective sub-grade CBR comes somewhat less than CBR of
sub-grade only) (Cl. 5.2 and Fig. 5.1 Page : 11). This is an important concept incorporated in
this version of the guideline by which not only the subgrade CBR has to be checked but also
the CBR value of the soil below 500mm of the subgrade (which is supposed to be
embankment) has to be checked.

• Design life of NH and SH is minimum 15 yrs., for Expressways and Urban Roads it is
minimum 20 yrs. For any other category of roads the design life is recommended to be
considered for 10 yrs to 15 years. (Cl. 4.3.2)

• Resilient Modulus of Bituminous mixes at different temperature and with different grade
of bitumen and even with modified bitumen has been specified as per table 7.1. It is useful
for finding out equivalent thickness using the formula E1H13/12(1 – 12) = E2H23/12(1 –
22) as given in Annex-III (Page : 65). [Table 7.1 (Page : 23) is much detailed than the
earlier version]. However, there are some questions for the MR values of mixes with
different binders as mentioned in table 7.1. No reference research back-up has also been
mentioned against this table.

• Up to 30 msa, 80% design reliability and beyond 30 msa, 90% design reliability has been
considered. (Cl. 6.2.2 and Cl. 6.3, Page : 13, 15)

• Beyond 30 msa, higher grade of bitumen i.e., VG-40 has been recommended both for DBM
and BC layers (Cl. 10.1) and up to 30 msa VG-30 grade bitumen has been recommended. Cl.
6.2.2. [last paragraph (Page : 14) ] and Annex-I. (Page : 49)

• For traffic below 2 msa, IRC:SP:72 (2007) (Guidelines for design of flexible pavements for
low volume rural roads) should be used. (Note (a) page 25, Cl.10.)

• Pavement thickness design for traffic between 2 and 30 msa is exactly same as IRC:37
(2001) [Note (b) page 25 Cl.-10]. For traffic above 30 msa, new design charts have been
provided (Plate 1 – Plate 24). But it is better to follow 2012 version of IRC:37 for pavement
composition, because some pavement composition like premix carpet etc. have been
dropped.
• There is no provision of Premix Carpet and Seal Coat. For traffic 2 msa to 5 msa, provision
of SDBC has been recommended and beyond 5 msa, only BC has been recommended as the
top wearing course. (Plate 1-24)

• IRC:37 (2012) has provided 5 (five) different options of choosing base and sub-base with
introduction of cementitious base and cementitious sub-base and foamed bitumen/bitumen
emulsion treated Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) material. This has given the scope of
reduction of thickness of bituminous layer by providing newer alternatives of base and sub-
base, different from the conventional idea of granular base and sub-bases as well as
recycling of natural resources. (Cl. 10, Page : 24). This is one of the major new
incorporations in the latest version.

• In eleven annexes, many important topics like drainage layer design, chemically stabilized
base and sub-base, cementitious base and sub-base, mix-design with RAP material, choice
of grade of bitumen, choice of bituminous wearing courses etc. have been discussed in
details. The aspects of Bituminous Mix Design has been discussed in details and described
as an integral part of pavement design. In the choice of wearing courses, Mastic Asphalt
should have also been incorporated, however it is not there.

• The equations for rutting and fatigue has been provided and explained in this version.
From these equations, allowable horizontal tensile strain in bituminous layers, allowable
vertical compressive strain on sub-grade, allowable tensile strain in cementitious layer or on
any other critical locations can be calculated. The actual strains whatever are coming on
different critical locations after provision of different composition and thickness as designed
as per Plate-1 to Plate-24, can be cross-checked with the help of a software – IITPAVE. If the
actual strains are found to be more than the allowable strains, the thickness of the pavement
has to be modified accordingly. Thus the design of pavement now requires much better and
detailed understanding than it was before.

• The design of pavement for very high volume traffic (300 msa) has been provided in
Annex-II (design example). (Page : 62)

• In Indian Context, comparatively newer concept of Perpetual Pavement (with very long life
– 50 yrs. or more) has been incorporated in this version (Cl. 8 and design example in
Annex-II) (Page : 23 and 63)

• Actual determination of vehicle damage factor (VDF) is very important in view of

overloading. As code can not be formulated for illegal activity like overloading, the default
values of VDF has been retained unchanged in this version of code (Table 4.2). But for
medium to large projects (say for Rs.10 crores and more), axle load survey should be must
for actual determination of VDF which is often omitted during preparation of DPR,
otherwise the early damage of road due to overloading can not be taken into account. As per
a recent study on VDF on a State Highway, the VDF after proper axle load survey was found
to be as high as 22. The present guideline has recommended for actual determination of
VDF by proper axle load survey, however, in absence of that general values are tabled, quite
naturally which did not take care of the illegal activity like overloading.

• Lane-distribution factor for Two-lane single carriageway roads, has been modified to 50%
from 75% (earlier version) but the higher VDF out of either direction has been
recommended for design. (Cl. 4.5.1-ii, page-8).
• A newer concept about placement of upper and lower GSB layers has been introduced. As
per Cl. No.- 7.2.1.3 the lower GSB layer should act as a separation / filter layer to prevent
intrusion of Sub-Grade soil into the pavement, thus should be close graded and the upper
GSB should act as drainage layer to drain away any water that may enter through surface
cracks, thus, should be open graded. It is made even clearer in the design example in page
63 of the 2012 version of the code. In general, it is usual practice that upper the pavement
layers, closer and denser they are. But in case of GSB, the coarser layer should come on
upper layer, however, it may be denser than the lower closer graded GSB.

• While in IRC:37(2012), it is recommended to do the GSB in two layers, in 5th. Revision, it

is said no layer of GSB should be done in thickness lower than 150mm. In many
combinations of pavement design composition as per IRC:37(2012), GSB thickness is
coming as 200mm only. Thus, in that case GSB can not be done in two layers. Here
provision as laid down in cl.11.4 of IRC:37(2012) has to be followed which states about the
requirement of the permeability of the filter layer and also preventing the entry of the soil
particles in the drainage layer.

• The concept of bottom rich bituminous layer has also been introduced. Since the critical
location of tensile strain is located at the bottom of bituminous layer [reference Fig. 10.1
page : 25], lower DBM layer is compacted to an air void of 3% after rolling (instead of
generally 7% to 8 % for upper DBM and BC layer after rolling) with volume of bitumen close
to 13% (Bitumen content of bottom DBM layer may be 0.5 to 0.6% higher than the optimum
bitumen content) and thereby making the lower DBM layer more ductile to withstand
greater tensile strain. As this layer is located below the BC layer and top DBM layer, around
80 to 100 mm below the top surface of pavement, by effect of higher temperature and heavy
traffic, chances of rutting or plastic deformation in bitumen rich bottom DBM layer is
remote.

Therefore, it is called bottom rich bituminous layer. [reference Cl. 10.1 page 25 and also
design example vide page 63]

• A new concept of 90 percentile CBR is recommended in the new guideline as per Annex-IV
page : 67. The CBR values of the sub-grade soil vary along a highway alignment even on a
homogeneous section. Therefore, sub-grade CBR likely to be applicable for a considerable
length of stretch based on statistical calculation is more rational approach than dealing with
varied CBR values from section to section.

The method of determination of 90 percentile CBR has been described in Fig. IV.1 page 67.
This guideline recommends 90 percentile CBR which is a bit on conservative side (i.e., the
CBR value comes a bit lesser) than Asphalt Institute’s recommendation of 87.5 percentile
sub-grade modules for design traffic greater than one msa.

Thanks to Rajib Chattaraj.

Rajib Chattaraj - Academia.edu

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What is the difference between codes IRC-37:2012

and IRC-37:2018?

Answer

Follow∙ 34

Request
2 Answers

Tellabati Anvesh, Highway Design Engineer at HBS INFRA ENGINEERS (2018-present)

Answered Feb 11

Hey there,

Comparing to IRC:37–2012, there are very few changes in fourth revision where the analysis
of stresses using IITPAVE software remains unchanged, however there are few features
which are added in 2018 (Fourth revision) version which are listed below,

1. Recommendation of better performing bituminous mixes and binders for

surface and base/binder courses.
2. Guidelines for selection of appropriate elastic moduli for bituminous mixes used
in the surface and other courses.
3. Recommendation of minimum thicknesses of granular and cement treated sub-
bases and bases and bituminous layers from functional requirements.
4. Generalization of the procedure for the estimation of the effective resilient
modulus/CBR of subgrade.
5. Provision for the use of geo-synthetics and
6. Rationalization of the design approach for stage construction.
Hope this is useful,

Have a good day.