Code of Practice RC 50022 Selection and Design of Pavements and Surfacings
Code of Practice RC 50022 Selection and Design of Pavements and Surfacings
Code of Practice RC 50022 Selection and Design of Pavements and Surfacings
Code of Practice
1. Scope 4. Definitions
This Code sets down VicRoads procedures for the For the purpose of this Code the following
selection and design of new road pavements and definitions shall apply:
surfacings. This Code shall be read in conjunction
with any associated contract documentation 4.1. Unbound Flexible Pavement
prepared for the works.
A pavement consisting of an unbound granular base
and subbase with a thin asphalt or sprayed
2. Reference Documents bituminous seal surfacing.
Table 2.1 lists reference documents applicable to
this Code. 4.2. Deep Strength Asphalt Pavement
Where a discrepancy exists between various parts A pavement comprising asphalt wearing,
of the reference documents, the following intermediate and base courses placed on a
descending order of precedence shall apply: cementitiously treated subbase.
Contract Documents
4.3. Full Depth Asphalt Pavement
VicRoads Codes of Practice
A pavement comprising asphalt wearing,
VicRoads Test Methods
intermediate and base courses placed directly on a
VicRoads Design Guides layer of unbound subbase material.
Standards Australia Test Methods
Austroads Design Guides 4.4. Rigid Pavement
Other Design Guides A Portland cement concrete pavement.
B. Austroads Publications
C. Other Publications
Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA ^) New South Wales (NSW) Rigid
Pavement Standard Details - Construction
* The numbering used to identify reference documents applies to this Code of Practice only to aid referencing within
this Code. The documents are identified in superscript text where the abbreviated title of the reference is used in
this Code.
Single axle with dual wheels applying a load of 80 kN. 5.1. Swell Potential
A material with a swell 2.5% as determined in
4.8. Equivalent Standard Axles (ESA) accordance with VicRoads Code of Practice
The number of standard axle loads that are RC 500.20A3 shall be considered as expansive (high
equivalent in damaging effect on a pavement for a swell potential). For expansive materials, the
given vehicle or axle loading calculated with a load potential seasonal volume changes and resulting
damage exponent of 4. shape loss shall be reduced by undertaking
measures discussed in Section 5.3.5 of AustroadsB1
4.9. Design Traffic Loading (DTL) and as described in Section 5.2 of this Code.
Design Traffic Loading is equivalent to Design 5.2. Treatments for Earthworks Materials
Traffic when expressed in terms of ESA. Also
with High Swell Potential
referred to as DESA. (Refer Section 4.10).
Earthworks material, with a percentage swell >
4.10. Design Traffic 1.5% shall not be placed within the minimum cover
requirement over expansive material specified in
The design number of Equivalent Standard Axles of Figure 5.1. The minimum cover includes earthwork
traffic loading (DESA) for flexible pavements and material with swell 1.5% and all pavement
the cumulative number of HVAG for rigid materials except thin bituminous surfacings and
pavements. Open Graded Asphalt.
4.16. Superintendent
The Superintendent for the Contract as defined in
the General Conditions of Contract.
Where expansive materials are utilised in the Any separately constructed Shared
formation, the following shall be undertaken: Footway/Bicycle Path shall have a capping
layer over any expansive insitu or fill
(a) Provision of a Capping Layer
material to provide a minimum cover of
A capping layer shall be placed immediately 400 mm of pavement and capping
above the high swell or expansive subgrade material. The thickness of capping layer
material for the full formation width to shall be 150 mm.
protect it from moisture variations.
(b) Location of Subsurface Pavement Drains
The capping layer shall be a Type A
Subsurface pavement drains shall be
material as per Section 204 of VicRoadsA2.
designed to function wholly within the
The capping material shall have a swell
capping layer. No part of the subsurface
1.5% determined in accordance with
drainage trench shall be located within 150
VicRoads Code of Practice RC 500.20A3.
mm of the expansive material. The capping
Lime stabilised material meeting the layer may be thickened in the vicinity of the
requirements of Type A fill including pavement drain to satisfy this requirement.
permeability criteria and Section 7.2.3 of
(c) Landscaping Design
this Code may be used as a capping layer.
The landscaping and planting of trees and
Unless otherwise specified, the minimum
shrubs shall conform to the requirements of
thickness of the capping layer shall be the
VicRoadsA6 unless otherwise specified.
greater of 150 mm or 2.5 times the
Trees shall not be planted within 9 m of the
maximum particle size of the capping
nearest pavement edge unless otherwise
material.
specified.
The width of the capping layer shall extend
to the edge of the embankment or, in the
case of cuttings, a distance 1.5 m
behind the back of kerb and channel or
edge of pavement.
7.2.1. General
The AustroadsB1 mechanistic pavement design
procedure shall be used for the design of
pavements comprising one or more bound layers.
Earthwork materials excluding Type A and Type B
material at or below subgrade level shall be given a
vertical modulus of up to 10 times the Design CBR
value.
The limiting strain criterion for the subgrade is
given in Section 5.8 of Austroads B1 and shall be
used for predicting the number of repetitions of a
Standard Axle before an unacceptable level of
permanent deformation develops.
Rural Roads
Table 8.2 Project Reliability Levels
Freeways & Auslink National
Network (Roads) / Class M 30 Project
including ramps Road Type / Classification Reliability *
%
All other roads / Class A, B & C 20
Urban Roads
Notes to Table 8.1: * Where the Design Period
corresponding to the type of road and classification Freeways / Auslink National Road
differ, the higher design period shall be used. 97.5
Network including ramps
10.2. Unbound Flexible Pavements with shall be applied across the full carriageway width
Asphalt Surfacing including shoulders.
Unless otherwise specified or stated, the thickness
10.2.1. General of dense graded asphalt (including SMA) and/or
Asphalt surfacing 40 mm thick over an unbound unbound granular material to be placed over
flexible pavement shall not be considered as cementitiously treated material shall be 175 mm
providing any structural contribution to the and determined in accordance with Austroads B1 as
pavement in terms of total thickness of pavement follows:
material. The requirements of Section 9.1 shall Thickness =
apply to the design of all granular flexible
pavements with thin asphalt surfacing. (0.75 x thickness unbound granular material
overlying cementitiously treated material)
Asphalt thickness shall be rounded up to the
nearest 5 mm. +
All unbound flexible pavements shall be designed to (design thickness of dense graded asphalt
meet the structural requirements of Appendix F and including SMA)
Section 10.1.
The minimum cover over cementitiously treated OGA for the purpose of pavement design shall be
material shall be as required in Section 11.1. considered as non - structural.
10.2.2. DESA < 1.0 x 106 ESA The design thickness of each pavements layer shall
be rounded up to the nearest 5 mm.
A 30 mm thick layer of Size 10 mm asphalt shall be
selected in accordance with Section 9.3(e) and
11.2. Granular Lower Subbase
Appendix D unless otherwise specified. The
prepared pavement surface shall be first treated Granular material is defined as material meeting
with a Size 7 bitumen emulsion primerseal (not the requirements of Class 1, 2, 3 or 4 crushed rock
exceeding 60% bitumen content) at a minimum in accordance with VicRoadsA2. Granular material
rate of application of residual binder of 0.9 l/m2. proposed as an upper or lower subbase for either a
Deep Strength or Full Depth Asphalt pavement shall
10.2.3. 1.0 x 106 ESA DESA 3.0 x106 ESA consist of Class 4 crushed rock or better. The
following shall apply:
As for Section 10.2.2 above, except that the asphalt
surfacing shall comprise a 30 mm layer of Size 10 (a) If Class 1 or 2 crushed rock is proposed as a
mm Type HP asphalt with a Class A10E PMB lower subbase layer, the design vertical
meeting the requirements of AustroadsB4 or 35mm resilient modulus value at the top of the layer
Size 10 SMA as appropriate. shall not exceed those described in Table 6.5
of AustroadsB1.
10.2.4. DESA > 3.0 x 106 ESA (b) If Class 3 crushed rock is proposed as a lower
Refer Specification or contract design brief if a thin subbase layer, the design vertical resilient
asphalt surfaced unbound flexible pavement type is modulus value at the top of the layer shall not
permitted. exceed those described in Table 6.4 of
AustroadsB1.
11. Asphalt Pavements (c) If Class 4 crushed rock is proposed as a lower
subbase layer the design vertical modulus
11.1. General value in the vertical direction at the top of the
layer shall not exceed 150 MPa.
The design of Deep Strength and Full Depth Asphalt
pavements shall be based on the mechanistic (d) Crushed rock shall be sublayered in
design procedures in accordance with Austroads B1 accordance with the Section 8.2.3 AustroadsB1
and this Code. sublayering procedure.
The pavement response to loading as shown in (e) A Poissons Ratio value of 0.35 shall be used
Figure 8.2 of Austroads B1 shall be determined from for all granular material. Granular materials
CIRCLY C3 using a tyre pressure of 750 kPa with a shall be considered as anisotropic with a
circular contact radius of 92.1 mm. degree of anisotropy of 2.
The Weighted Mean Annual Pavement Temperature Subject to review by the Superintendent, some
for Melbourne shall be 240 C unless otherwise naturally occurring gravel pavement materials may
specified. be considered as a granular material for use as
lower subbase in lieu of crushed rock however the
The pavement design shall be based on the traffic maximum design vertical resilient modulus value at
lane with the highest Design Traffic and this design the top of a gravel layer shall be 150 MPa.
40 < V 60 40
Signalised Intersections /
10
Roundabouts / V 40
Figure 11.1 Minimum Thicknesses of Cemented Materials to avoid Fatigue Damage during Construction
Cemented materials in the postfatigue phase shall project reliability shall be determined from Table
be modelled in accordance with AustroadsB1 with a 8.2 of this Code.
vertical modulus of 500 MPa, Poissons Ratio of 0.35
and be considered as cross-anisotropic with a 11.5. Design Thickness
degree of anisotropy of 2. Sub layering of this
material is not required. CTS with a design The structural thickness determined in accordance
modulus of 500 MPa shall be considered as with Section 11.1 shall be increased by adding a
having no fatigue life and shall be modelled as CTS further 15 mm to the thickness of the intermediate
in the post-fatigue phase. asphalt layer, or for pavement compositions without
an intermediate asphalt layer to the total asphalt
The total thickness of CTS shall be between 100 thickness. This adjusted thickness of pavement is
and 180 mm and shall be placed in a single layer. referred to as the Design Thickness and shall be
For narrow pavement widenings, the CTS thickness rounded up to the nearest 5 mm.
shall not exceed 150 mm.
12. Rigid Pavements
11.4.2. Protection of CTS
Where Section 306 of VicRoadsA2 requires a 12.1. General
primerseal to be applied to the surface of the CTS,
the rate of application of a medium primer binder The thickness of the base and subbase shall be
shall be such that the residual binder shall range designed in accordance with Section 9 of
between 0.9 and 1.1 l/m2 depending on absorption AustroadsB1. The minimum characteristic design
characteristics of the CTS. If the Superintendent concrete flexural strength for concrete pavements
permits the use of a prime to protect the CTS, the with a Design Traffic 1 x 106 HVAG shall be
minimum rate of application of a light primer shall 4.5 MPa at 28 days.
be such that the residual binder shall range The detailed design shall meet all the relevant
between 0.3 and 0.5 l/m2 depending on the functional requirements for the particular type of
absorption characteristics of the CTS. rigid pavement to be constructed as required by
The fatigue relationship to be used for CTS with a RMS NSW C1. Jointing and reinforcement
design modulus of 2,000 MPa shall be Equation 7 requirements shall be consistent with RMS NSW
of AustroadsB1. practice.
The Reliability Factor (RF) shall be as described in Concrete pavements for roundabouts shall be
Table 6.8 of AustroadsB1 for the desired project designed in accordance with RTA NSWC2.
reliability specified. Where not specified, the desired
A continuously reinforced concrete pavement shall The minimum subbase requirements for rigid
be provided if the pavement is to be surfaced with pavements shall be in accordance with Table 9.1 of
any type of asphalt surfacing including OGA. AustroadsB1.
The Load Safety Factor (LSF) shall be as described All CTS shall be constructed in accordance with
in Table 9.2 of AustroadsB1 for the desired project Section 306 of VicRoadsA2 except that the minimum
reliability specified. Where not specified, the desired cementitious binder content shall be 5% by mass.
project reliability shall be determined from Table The minimum strength requirements specified in
8.2 of this Code. Section 306 of VicRoadsA2 shall not apply for
subbases for rigid pavements.
Pavement layer and design thicknesses shall be
rounded up to the nearest 5 mm. The thickness of any debonding layer shall not be
considered as part of the Design Thickness of the
12.2. Base subbase or base.
The design of edge drainage combined with
12.2.1. Minimum Thickness subsurface drainage shall ensure that the interface
Regardless of the structural thickness produced by between the base and the fully bound or lean mix
application of Section 9 of AustroadsB1, the concrete subbase or CTS is adequately drained.
minimum thickness of concrete base shall not be
less than specified in Table 9.7 of AustroadsB1. 12.4. Design Thickness
The base thickness determined in accordance with
12.2.2. Structural Edge Support To Base Section 12.2 shall be increased by a further 15 mm
Where the requirements of Section 9.3.5 of and rounded up to the nearest 5 mm. This adjusted
AustroadsB1 are met, concrete shoulders or thickness, including subbase thickness, is referred
integrally cast kerb and channel may be designed to to as the Design Thickness.
provide structural edge support so that the
thickness reduction for the concrete base can be 12.5. Debonding of Subbase to Base
applied. The reduced base thickness shall not be
(a) Lean Mix Concrete Subbase
less than the minimum thickness specified in Table
9.7 of AustroadsB1. Lean Mix Concrete shall be constructed in
accordance with section 503 of VicRoadsA2.
Extruded kerb and channel shall not be considered
as providing structural edge support to the concrete Curing compound shall be applied to the
base. Tie bars shall be installed between the surface of a lean mix concrete subbase in
concrete base and the kerb and channel in accordance with Section 503 of VicRoadsA2.
accordance with the requirements of the RTA In addition, a Size 7 mm bituminous
NSWC1. primerseal shall be applied over the entire
lean mix concrete subbase with a residual
12.3. Subbase and Type A Fill binder rate of application of 1.0 l/m2.
Requirements (b) Fully Bound Cementitiously Treated
On roads with a Design Traffic 1.0 x 107 HVAG, Subbase
a 150 mm (minimum) thick layer of Class 4 crushed A Size 7 mm bituminous primerseal shall be
rock is required immediately above subgrade level. applied over the entire cementitiously
This layer may be considered in the calculation of treated subbase at a rate of application of
Effective Subgrade CBR, as defined in AustroadsB1. medium primerbinder necessary to produce
On other roads, the top 150 mm of material directly a residual binder rate of application of
below subgrade level shall have a minimum 1.0 l/m2. The surface shall be kept moist
Assigned CBR 10% as determined in accordance at all times until the primerseal is applied.
Section 7.1 of this Code.
Lime Stabilisation may be used to improve the
strength and/or reduce the swell potential of clay at
or below subgrade level. The depth of stabilisation
shall be 150 mm. The minimum amount of
Available Lime required to satisfy material
properties and design requirements shall be
determined in accordance with VicRoads Code of
Practice RC 500.23A3.
http://www.bom.gov.au/ilam/agvic.shtml
The following information was derived from Victoria CULWAY weigh-in-motion data from Year 2009 2012.
It is provided for use where site specific design traffic parameters have not been specified or stated.
Appendix C
October to March Prime & Size 14/7 HSS2 Prime & Size 14 seal with Prime & Size 14 seal using a In most circumstances it is
or XSS seal a polymer modified binder polymer modified binder, undesirable to seal and have
followed by a Size 7 followed by a Size 7 long periods without traffic.
emulsion seal (consider polymer modified emulsion
polymer modification) at seal at 1-2 weeks before In some circumstances it may
1-2 weeks before opening opening depending on be desirable to apply holding
depending on condition of condition of surface and treatments such as a prime
surface and weather. weather. and size 7 seal to protect a
prepared pavement surface
from construction traffic prior
to applying the final surfacing
treatment. In such cases
specialist advice should be
sought.
Notes to Appendix C
Location of works, Weather and pavement conditions can vary the treatments suggested and this guide should only
be used to assist with programming of works and determining potentially suitable treatments which should be
confirmed prior to application.
Specialist advice should be obtained to confirm the appropriate selection of the most appropriate treatments. In
some cases as described above a HSS2 or XSS seal may not be necessary and could be substituted with a lesser
treatment if traffic volumes and characteristics are sufficient to justify. Further guidance can be found in Appendix A
of the Update of Double/Double design for Austroads Sprayed Seal Design Method (AP-T236/13)
All Size 7 seals applied as a second or third application are applied at the base rate of application unless designed
as a Double/Double seal.
Hatched areas of Table There are significant risks of poor performance and works should not be planned to occur
during these periods. Avoid, postpone pavement preparation and sealing works until October. Specialist advice
should be sought.
Light Duty C170 binder must be used if mix contains more than 10% Recycled
< 25 < 500 L C170 or C320 - 7 & 10
Asphalt Pavement (RAP).
Medium Duty 25 300 500 - 3000 N C170 or C320 - 7, 10 & 14 C170 must be used if mix contains more than 10% RAP.
Heavy Duty > 1000 > 10000 HG(4),(5) M (500/170) 48(6) 10 & 14
High Performance
> 200 > 2000 HP(4) PMB (A10E) 48(6) 10 & 14 For medium and heavy duty use. Specialist advice should be sought.
and/or Flexibility
Intermediate 25 - 1000 500 - 10000 SI C320 - 14 & 20 Standard structural mix. Generally Size 20.
(1) Standard Types of Dense Graded Asphalt (DGA) SP A high performance heavy to very heavy duty Size 20 structural intermediate course
L A light duty Size 7 or 10 mm wearing course with low air voids and higher binder wearing asphalt incorporating a PMB for high resistance to deformation and flexural cracking.
course for use in very lightly trafficked pavements. SF A fatigue resistant Size 20 structural base course asphalt for heavy duty asphalt
N A light to medium duty Size 7, 10 or 14 mm wearing course for use in light to moderately pavements with a total asphalt thickness in excess of 175 mm.
trafficked pavements. (2) Greater priority should be given to the volume of Heavy Vehicles (HVs) if known.
H A heavy duty Size 7, 10 or 14 mm asphalt wearing course for use in most heavily trafficked (3) The nominal size of asphalt should be compatible with the layer thickness as follows:
pavements.
Size (mm) Thickness Range (mm) Recommended (mm)
V A heavy duty Size 10 or 14 asphalt wearing course for heavily trafficked intersections.
HG A multi purpose heavy to very heavy duty Size 10 or 14 wearing course asphalt 7 15 - 25 20
incorporating Multigrade binder where a high resistance to deformation is required, 10 25 - 35 30
particularly at heavily trafficked intersections. 14 35 - 50 40
HP A high performance Size 10 or 14 heavy to very heavy duty wearing course asphalt 20 50 - 100 75
incorporating a Polymer Modified Binder (PMB) where a high resistance flexural cracking
and/or deformation is required. (4) Where Type V, Type HG or HP is recommended for use at intersections, it should
SI A multi purpose Size 14 or 20 structural asphalt for intermediate course in heavy duty commence at the start of the turn lane taper or a minimum of 80 m from the stop line
pavements or base course in medium duty pavements. or from where heavy vehicles are expected to commence braking, whichever is the
greater distance and extend through the intersection and the first 30 m of the
SS A very stiff Size 20 structural intermediate course asphalt sometimes used to increase departure lanes.
pavement stiffness for very large scale heavy duty asphalt pavements.
(5) The supply of Multigrade binder is limited in Victoria. Consider alternatives.
SG A multi purpose heavy to very heavy duty Size 20 structural intermediate course asphalt
incorporating a Multigrade binder for high resistance to deformation, particularly at very (6) PSV 54 should be used at high accident risk sites if available and economically
heavily trafficked intersections. feasible.
Appendix E Typical Characteristics of Dense Graded and Stone Mastic Asphalts used by VicRoads
used by VicRoads
7 170 7.0 12.3 80.7 1000 1600 1900 2100 6680 5640 5300 5110
N 10 170 7.0 11.1 81.9 1200 1900 2200 2500 5700 4830 4580 4380
14 170 7.0 10.5 82.5 1200 2100 2400 2700 5430 4440 4230 4050
10 320 8.0 10.2 81.8 1400 2200 2600 2900 5000 4250 4000 3850
V
14 320 8.0 10.0 82.0 1600 2600 3000 3300 4680 3930 3740 3610
10 320 7.0 11.1 81.9 1500 2500 2900 3200 5260 4380 4150 4010
H
14 320 7.0 10.5 82.5 1700 2800 3200 3600 4790 4000 3810 3650
10 A10E 5.0 11.7 83.3 1000 1400 1600 1800 6380 5660 5390 5170
HP
14 A10E 5.0 11.1 83.9 1000 1600 1800 2100 6090 5140 4930 4660
10 Multigrade 7.0 11.1 81.9 1500 2500 2900 3200 5260 4380 4150 4010
HG
14 Multigrade 7.0 10.5 82.5 1700 2800 3200 3600 4790 4000 3810 3650
SMAH 10 A10E 6.5 14.5 79.0 1000 1300 1500 1700 7760 7060 6710 6410
SMAN 10 A20E or A25E 6.5 14.5 79.0 1200 1700 1900 2100 7270 6410 6160 5940
SI 20 320 7.0 10.4 82.6 1800 3100 3600 3900 4650 3820 3620 3520
SS 20 600 7.0 10.4 82.6 2400 3900 4500 5000 4190 3520 3340 3220
SF 20 320 4.5 12.8 82.7 1800 2900 3400 3800 5610 4720 4460 4280
SP 20 A10E 5.0 11.0 84.0 1200 1900 2200 2500 5660 4790 4550 4340
SG 20 Multigrade 7.0 10.4 82.6 1800 3100 3600 3900 4650 3820 3620 3520
Notes to Appendix E:
1 Insitu mix compositions have been derived from VicRoads registered asphalt mix designs.
2 Modulus values provided relate to initial mix design characteristics early in the asphalts service life.
3 K = ( 6918 ( 0.856 Vb + 1.08)/E0.36 ) where E and Vb are as defined in Section 6.5.6 of Austroads B1
.