Pavement Materials Design

PAVEMENT AND MATERIALS DESIGN
Federal Republic of Nigeria

Federal Ministry of Works
Highway Manual Part 1: Design
Volume III:
Pavements and Materials Design
2013
Highway Manual Part 1: Design Volume III: Pavement and Materials Design
FOREWORD
The vision statement of the Federal Ministry of Works is to elevate Nigerian roads to a standard
where they become National economic and socio-political assets, contributing to the Nation‘s rapid
growth and development, and to make Federal roads functional, safe, pleasurable, and an avenue for
redeeming Nigerians‘ trust and confidence in Government. This vision statement is in tune with the
Transformation Agenda of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Dr
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR. Based on the foregoing, our mission is to use the intellectual,
management and material resources available to the Ministry to make Nigerian roads functional all
the time. The principal goal of the Ministry is to drive the transformation agenda by improving road
transport infrastructure for the overall socio-economic derivable benefits and development of our great
country, Nigeria.
In exercising this mission and in discharging its responsibilities, the Ministry identified the need for
updated and locally relevant standards for the planning, design, construction, maintenance and
operation of our roads, in a sustainable manner. One of the main reference documents for this
purpose is the Highway Manual, which previously included Part 1: Design and Part 2: Maintenance.
Both current parts of the Highway Manual were first published in 1973 and 1980 respectively and
have been subjected to partial updating at various times since then. The passage of time,
development in technology, and a need to capture locally relevant experience and information, in the
context of global best practices, means that a comprehensive update is now warranted.
The purpose of the Highway Manual is to establish the policy of the Government of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria with regard to the development and operation of roads, at the Federal, State and
Local Government levels, respectively. In line with this objective, the Manual aims to guide members
of staff of the Ministry and engineering practitioners, with regard to standards and procedures that the
Government deem acceptable; to direct practitioners to other reference documents of established
practice where the scope of the Manual is exceeded; to provide a nationally recognized standard
reference document; and to provide a ready source of good practice for the development and
operation of roads in a cost effective and environmentally sustainable manner.
The major benefits to be gained in applying the content of the Highway Manual include harmonization
of professional practice and ensuring uniform application of appropriate levels of safety, health,
economy and sustainability, with due consideration to the objective conditions and needs of our
country.
The Manual has been expanded to include an overarching Code of Procedure and a series of
Volumes within each Part that cover the various aspects of development and operation of highways.
By their very nature, the Manual will require periodic updating from time to time, arising from the
dynamic nature of technological development and changes in the field of Highway Engineering.
The Ministry therefore welcomes comments and suggestions from concerned bodies, groups or
individuals, on all aspects of the document during the course of its implementation and use. All feed
back received will be carefully reviewed by professional experts with a view to possible incorporation
of amendments in future editions.
Arc. Mike Oziegbe Onolememen, FNIA, FNIM.
Honourable Minister
Federal Ministry of Works,
Abuja, Nigeria
May, 2013
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Highway Manual has been updated by the Road Sector Development Team (RSDT), of the
Federal Ministry of Works, with credit assistance from the World Bank‘s Federal Roads Development
Project (FRDP). This update draws upon the original Manual, which was compiled between 1973 and
1980. The new Manual reflects recent developments in Road Design and Maintenance, in addition to
latest research findings and updated references. Furthermore, it includes accepted practices that
have been developed with the extensive effort of numerous organisations and people involved in the
road sector. The assistance of all who have contributed is hereby gratefully acknowledged. Special
acknowledgement is due to the following persons, who have been particularly involved and provided
specific input that has been incorporated into the Manual:
Review Project Management Team:
Person Organisation
Engr. Ishaq D. Mohammed Director Highways/Unit Manager, RSDT
Engr. Chike Ngwuocha Highway Engineer, RSDT
Peer Review Group:

Person Organisation
Engr. B Giwa Independent Consultant
Prof. Y. A Jimoh University of Ilorin
Prof. K. J. Osinubi Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria
Prof. L. Oyebande University of Lagos
Dr. D. O. A. Osula University of Benin
Thanks are also due to the following organisations that made staff available for the Stakeholder
Workshop and other meetings, in addition to making direct contributions through comments and
advice:
Public Organisations Private Organisations
Federal Ministry of Works – Highway Departments AIM Consultants
Federal Ministry of Environment Aurecon Nigeria Ltd
Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) Axion Consult Engineering Resources Ltd
Federal Capital Development Authority Ben Mose & Partners
Federal Road Safety Corps Dantata & Sawoe Construction (Nigeria)
Ltd
Nigeria Meteorological Agency Enerco Ltd
Nigerian Geological Survey Agency Etteh Aro & Partners
Nigeria Police Force (Traffic Division) FA Consulting Services Ltd
Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency Intecon Partnership Ltd
Nigerian Meteorological Agency Julius Berger Nigeria Plc
Nigerian Society of Engineers Keeman Ltd
Nigerian Institute of Civil Engineers Multiple Development Services Ltd
Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Mansion Consulting Ltd
Nigeria
Property Mart Ltd
RCC Ltd
Sanol Engineering Consultants Ltd
Setraco Nigeria Ltd
Siraj International Ltd
Yolas Consultants Ltd
This update of the Highway Manual was compiled by the Road Sector Development Team of the
Federal Ministry of Works with the assistance of the consultants Royal HaskoningDHV.
Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS ..................................................................................................................................... I
LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................................................... IV
LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................................................ V
1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................ 1-1
1.1 DESCRIPTION OF THE MANUAL .................................................................................................................. 1-1

1.1.1 Introduction to the Manual............................................................................................................ 1-1
1.1.2 Arrangement of the Manual .......................................................................................................... 1-1
1.2 OVERVIEW OF VOLUME III: PAVEMENTS AND MATERIALS DESIGN .................................................................... 1-1
1.2.1 General .......................................................................................................................................... 1-1
1.2.2 Purpose .......................................................................................................................................... 1-1
1.2.3 Scope of this Volume ...................................................................................................................... 1-2
1.3 PAVEMENT TERMINOLOGY ........................................................................................................................ 1-3
1.4 DESIGN PHILOSOPHY AND PROCESS ............................................................................................................ 1-3
1.4.1 Service Objective (SO) .................................................................................................................... 1-3
1.4.2 Functional Service Level (FSL) ........................................................................................................ 1-4
1.4.3 Analysis Period (AP) ....................................................................................................................... 1-4
1.4.4 Structural Design Period (SDP) ....................................................................................................... 1-4
1.4.5 Life Cycle Strategy (LCS) ................................................................................................................. 1-4
1.4.6 Structural Objective (STO) .............................................................................................................. 1-5
1.4.7 Road Category ............................................................................................................................... 1-5
1.4.8 Abbreviations ................................................................................................................................. 1-6
1.4.9 Definitions ...................................................................................................................................... 1-9
2 CLIMATE ......................................................................................................................................... 2-21
2.1 CLIMATOLOGICAL ZONES ........................................................................................................................ 2-21

2.2 TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION IN NIGERIA .................................................................................................. 2-22
2.3 RAINFALL DISTRIBUTION IN NIGERIA ......................................................................................................... 2-24
2.4 DEFINITION OF WET OR DRY CONDITIONS.................................................................................................. 2-24
3 DESIGN TRAFFIC AND PAVEMENT CLASS ........................................................................................... 3-1
3.1 GENERAL ............................................................................................................................................... 3-1

3.2 STRUCTURAL DESIGN PERIOD (SDP) ........................................................................................................... 3-1
3.3 DESIGN TRAFFIC...................................................................................................................................... 3-3
3.3.1 Baseline Traffic Flows .................................................................................................................... 3-4
i
3.3.2 Determining Average Daily ESAs (ADE) ......................................................................................... 3-5

3.3.3 Traffic Categories ........................................................................................................................... 3-7
3.3.4 Determination of Future Traffic Loading – ESA Growth Rate ........................................................ 3-8
3.3.5 Calculating Cumulative Equivalent Standard Axle Loading ........................................................... 3-8
3.4 DESIGN TRAFFIC CLASS ........................................................................................................................... 3-12
4 SUBGRADE ....................................................................................................................................... 4-1
4.1 GENERAL ............................................................................................................................................... 4-1

4.2 MATERIAL DEPTH.................................................................................................................................... 4-1
4.3 CLASSIFICATION OF SUBGRADES ................................................................................................................. 4-2
4.3.1 Representative Subgrade Moisture Content .................................................................................. 4-3
4.3.2 Classifying Design Subgrade Strength ........................................................................................... 4-4
4.3.3 Minimum subgrade compaction requirements.............................................................................. 4-5
4.3.4 Specifying the design subgrade class ............................................................................................. 4-6
4.3.5 Control check on subgrade strength uniformity during construction ............................................ 4-6
5 PROBLEM SOILS ................................................................................................................................ 5-1
5.1 GENERAL ............................................................................................................................................... 5-1

5.2 LOW-STRENGTH SOILS ............................................................................................................................. 5-1
5.3 COHESIONLESS MATERIALS, SANDS............................................................................................................. 5-1
5.4 DENSE CLAYS / EXPANSIVE MATERIALS........................................................................................................ 5-2
5.5 COLLAPSIBLE SANDS AND SOILS .................................................................................................................. 5-3
5.6 DISPERSIVE SOILS .................................................................................................................................... 5-3
5.7 BLACK COTTON SOILS OF NIGERIA AND RELATED PAVEMENT DESIGN ................................................................ 5-4
5.7.1 Origin and Distribution .................................................................................................................. 5-4
5.7.2 Clay Mineralogy and Swelling Mechanism .................................................................................... 5-5
5.7.3 Categorisation of Black Cotton Soils .............................................................................................. 5-5
5.7.4 Pavement Design Aspects .............................................................................................................. 5-9
5.8 PROBLEM LATERITES OF NIGERIA ................................................................................................................ 5-9
6 PAVEMENT MATERIALS .................................................................................................................... 6-1
6.1 UNBOUND PAVEMENT MATERIALS ............................................................................................................. 6-1

6.1.1 Granular Base ................................................................................................................................ 6-1
6.1.2 Granular Sub-base ......................................................................................................................... 6-5
6.1.3 Granular Selected Layer ................................................................................................................. 6-6
6.2 TREATED MATERIALS ............................................................................................................................... 6-6
6.2.1 Treatment/ Stabilisation with Portland Cement ............................................................................ 6-7
6.2.2 Treatment with Lime...................................................................................................................... 6-9
ii
6.2.3 Treatment with Bitumen Emulsion .............................................................................................. 6-10

6.3 BITUMINOUS MATERIALS........................................................................................................................ 6-10
6.3.1 Asphalt Pre-Mix Base and Surfacings .......................................................................................... 6-10
6.3.2 Surface Dressing .......................................................................................................................... 6-12
6.4 MATERIALS STRENGTH CHARACTERISTICS................................................................................................... 6-14
7 OTHER PAVEMENT MATERIALS ......................................................................................................... 7-1
7.1 BITUMEN EMULSION ............................................................................................................................... 7-1

7.1.1 Names and Classification of Emulsions .......................................................................................... 7-1
7.2 BITUMEN STABILISED MATERIALS ............................................................................................................... 7-4
7.2.1 Introduction to Bitumen Stabilised Materials(16) ............................................................................ 7-4
7.2.2 Benefits of Bitumen Stabilisation ................................................................................................... 7-6
7.3 RECYCLED ASPHALT ................................................................................................................................. 7-7
7.3.1 Plant Mix Recycling ........................................................................................................................ 7-8
7.3.2 In-Place Recycling .......................................................................................................................... 7-9
7.3.3 Engineering Properties ................................................................................................................. 7-10
7.3.4 Mix Design ................................................................................................................................... 7-10
7.4 GEOTEXTILES AND GEOGRIDS................................................................................................................... 7-13
7.4.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 7-13
7.4.2 Types of Geosynthetics for Highway Applications ....................................................................... 7-14
7.4.3 Asphalt Reinforcement ................................................................................................................ 7-16
7.4.4 Additional Geosynthetics References ........................................................................................... 7-16
8 PAVEMENT DESIGN .......................................................................................................................... 8-1
8.1 FLEXIBLE PAVEMENTS .............................................................................................................................. 8-1

8.1.1 Design Catalogue ........................................................................................................................... 8-2
8.1.2 Asphalt Institute Method ............................................................................................................... 8-3
8.1.3 Mechanistic Design ........................................................................................................................ 8-7
8.1.4 Mechanistic Design Process ........................................................................................................... 8-9
8.2 RIGID PAVEMENTS................................................................................................................................. 8-14
8.2.1 Portland Cement Association (PCA) Method ............................................................................... 8-14
9 OVERLAY DESIGN.............................................................................................................................. 9-1
9.1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 9-1

9.2 THE ASPHALT INSTITUTE METHOD .............................................................................................................. 9-1
9.2.1 Principles of the Method ................................................................................................................ 9-1
9.3 TRANSPORT AND ROAD RESEARCH LABORATORY (TRRL) SURFACE DEFLECTION METHOD..................................... 9-3
iii
9.4 THE SHELL OVERLAY DESIGN METHOD ........................................................................................................ 9-5

10 PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS ......................................................................................................... 10-1
10.1 MATERIALS AVAILABILITY ........................................................................................................................ 10-1

10.2 TERRAIN .............................................................................................................................................. 10-1
10.3 VEHICLE OVERLOADING .......................................................................................................................... 10-2
10.4 SUBGRADE CALIFORNIA BEARING RATIO (CBR) LESS THAN TWO PER CENT........................................................ 10-3
10.5 USE OF THE DYNAMIC CONE PENETROMETER (DCP) ................................................................................... 10-3
10.6 PERFORMANCE RECORDS ........................................................................................................................ 10-5
10.7 SECONDARY FACTORS ............................................................................................................................ 10-5
10.8 SKID RESISTANCE .................................................................................................................................. 10-5
11 BIBLIOGRAPHY................................................................................................................................ 11-1
APPENDIX A: NIGERIAN TRAFFIC AND AXLE LOAD STUDY .......................................................................... A
APPENDIX B: NIGERIAN SUBGRADES .................................................................................................... E
APPENDIX C: PAVEMENT DESIGN CATALOGUE........................................................................................... I
APPENDIX D: ASPHALT INSTITUTE METHOD DESIGN CHARTS .................................................................... S
List of Figures
FIGURE 1.1 ARRANGEMENT OF VOLUMES IN THE HIGHWAY MANUAL ................................................................................ 1-2

FIGURE 1.2 PAVEMENT TERMINOLOGY ......................................................................................................................... 1-3
FIGURE 2.1 CLIMATOLOGICAL ZONES OF NIGERIA ......................................................................................................... 2-21
FIGURE 2.2 ANNUAL MINIMUM TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION ....................................................................................... 2-22
FIGURE 2.3 ANNUAL MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION ....................................................................................... 2-23
FIGURE 2.4 ANNUAL RAINFALL DISTRIBUTION IN NIGERIA .............................................................................................. 2-24
FIGURE 4.1 ILLUSTRATION OF CBR STRENGTH CUMULATIVE DISTRIBUTION ......................................................................... 4-7
FIGURE 5.1 PROPOSED CATEGORISATION FOR BLACK COTTON SOILS OF NIGERIA .................................................................. 5-7
FIGURE 5.2 TYPICAL DRY DENSITY – MOISTURE CONTENT CURVES FOR THE THREE PROPOSED CATEGORIES OF BC SOILS ............. 5-8
FIGURE 7.1 AGGREGATE AND BINDER BOND FOR BSMS .................................................................................................. 7-5
FIGURE 8.1 WHEEL LOAD DISTRIBUTION IN PAVEMENT LAYERS ......................................................................................... 8-7
FIGURE 8.2 CRITICAL STRAINS IN PAVEMENT LAYERS ....................................................................................................... 8-8
FIGURE 8.3 EXAMPLE OF DAILY TEMPERATURE VARIATION IN A ROAD PAVEMENT ................................................................ 8-8
FIGURE 8.4 FLOW DIAGRAM OF MECHANISTIC DESIGN PROCEDURE .................................................................................. 8-9
FIGURE 11.1 LINK TRAFFIC FLOWS (ADT) ON FEDERAL ROAD NETWORK ............................................................................... B
iv
FIGURE 11.2 AXLE-LOAD SURVEY POSITIONS (2008) ........................................................................................................ C
List of Tables
TABLE 1.1: DEFINITION OF TYPICAL ROAD CATEGORIES.................................................................................................... 1-6

TABLE 2.1 CLIMATE AND RAINFALL CHARACTERISTICS OF CLIMATOLOGICAL ZONES ............................................................. 2-22
TABLE 3.1 TYPICAL STRUCTURAL DESIGN PERIODS FOR VARIOUS ROAD CATEGORIES ............................................................. 3-3
TABLE 3.2 TYPICAL ESAS PER HEAVY VEHICLE ................................................................................................................ 3-5
TABLE 3.3: TRAFFIC GROWTH FACTOR ....................................................................................................................... 3-10
TABLE 3.4: FACTORS FOR DESIGN TRAFFIC LOADING ..................................................................................................... 3-11
TABLE 3.5 DESIGN TRAFFIC CLASSES .......................................................................................................................... 3-12
TABLE 4.1 TYPICAL PAVEMENT THICKNESS BY ROAD CATEGORY ........................................................................................ 4-2
TABLE 4.2 SUBGRADE CLASSIFICATION ......................................................................................................................... 4-2
TABLE 4.3 METHOD FOR CLASSIFYING SUBGRADE DESIGN CBR ........................................................................................ 4-5
TABLE 4.4 RECOMMENDED SUB-GRADE THICKNESS BELOW PAVEMENT LAYERS ................................................................... 4-7
TABLE 5.1 STRENGTH (CBR) TEST DATA ....................................................................................................................... 5-8
TABLE 6.1 NOMINAL STRENGTH CLASSIFICATION OF MATERIALS IN THE DESIGN CATALOGUE (SATCC) .................................... 6-15
TABLE 7.1 BITUMEN EMULSION TYPES, CHARACTERISTICS AND GENERAL USE ...................................................................... 7-3
TABLE 8.1 MINIMUM ASPHALT THICKNESS FOR TYPE I & II BASE....................................................................................... 8-5
TABLE 8.2 BASE AND SUB-BASE REQUIREMENTS ............................................................................................................ 8-6
TABLE 8.3 MINIMUM ASPHALT THICKNESS OVER UNTREATED BASE ................................................................................... 8-6
TABLE 8.4 CRITICAL DISTRESS PARAMETERS ................................................................................................................ 8-10
TABLE 8.5 DISTRESS MODELS EVALUATED ................................................................................................................... 8-11
TABLE 8.6 RUTTING MODELS EVALUATED ................................................................................................................... 8-11
TABLE 9.1 MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF ASPHALT INSTITUTE METHOD ................................................................................. 9-2
TABLE 9.2 MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TRRL SURFACE DEFECTION METHOD ................................................................. 9-4
TABLE 9.3 MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF SHELL OVERLAY DESIGN METHOD ........................................................................... 9-7
TABLE 10.1: TYPICAL SKID NUMBERS(29) ..................................................................................................................... 10-6
v
1 Introduction
1.1 Description of the Manual
1.1.1 Introduction to the Manual
The Highway Manual aims to guide members of staff of the Ministry and
engineering practitioners, with regard to standards and procedures that the
Government deems acceptable for the planning, design, construction, maintenance,
operation and management of roads. The Manual directs practitioners to other
reference documents of established practice where the scope of the Manual is
exceeded; provides a nationally recognized standard reference document; and
provides a ready source of good practice for the development and operation of
roads in a cost effective and environmentally sustainable manner.
1.1.2 Arrangement of the Manual
The Highway Manual comprises a Code of Procedure and two parts, each of which
has been divided up into separate volumes, in the manner shown in Figure 1.1.
1.2 Overview of Volume III: Pavements and Materials Design
1.2.1 General
Volume III of the Highway Manual Part 1: Design deals with the Pavement and
Materials Design for highways.
1.2.2 Purpose
The purpose of this volume is to give guidance and recommendations to the

engineers responsible for the design of pavements and materials for Federal
Highways in Nigeria.
1-1
Figure 1.1 Arrangement of Volumes in the Highway Manual
1.2.3 Scope of this Volume
This volume has been developed by the Federal Ministry of Transportation (Works)
with the intent to reflect policy and establish uniform policies and procedures for
planning and designing highways. The procedures presented in this volume are
applicable to all classes of roads in Nigeria.
The contents of the volume are partly guidelines and recommendations and partly
standards which as a general rule should be adhered to. The information, guidance
and references contained in this volume are not intended as a substitute for sound
engineering judgment. It should be recognized that situations may be encountered
during the design of highways that are beyond the scope of this volume. Numerous
sources of comprehensive information are listed at the end of the volume; these
sources should be used to supplement the information contained in this volume. In
some instances, special conditions may require the use of other references and/or
1-2
standards and the use of these standards can only be sanctioned by the Federal
Ministry of Works.
1.3 Pavement Terminology
Figure 1.2 Illustrates the main pavement terminology used in this guideline
document.
Figure 1.2 Pavement Terminology
1.4 Design Philosophy and Process
The structural design of pavements aims to protect the subgrade from traffic loads,
by providing pavement layers which will achieve a chosen level of service, with
maintenance and rehabilitation during the analysis period, as cost-effectively as
possible.(1)
1.4.1 Service Objective (SO)
When the need for accessibility or traffic capacity improvement in a certain area has
been identified by the responsible authority, two basic decisions need to be taken by
management in order to provide the necessary directive and inputs for the design
process, namely:
 The functional service level of the road or facility improvement

 The analysis period over which the service is anticipated.
1-3
These inputs and directives are called the Service Objective (SO) of the project,
taking into account such aspects as the importance of the road link, riding quality,
safety, traffic capacity, funding, etc. The SO largely determines the standard of the
geometrical and structural designs for that particular road link.
1.4.2 Functional Service Level (FSL)
A distinction is made between the functional requirements and the structural

requirements of a road link. The functional requirements relate to the functional
service which the road has to deliver in order to fulfil the need as defined by the
Service Objective (SO). The structural requirements, however, relate to the support
(i.e. bearing capacity) necessary to guarantee the functional service at a given
design reliability.
The Functional Service Level (FSL) is the qualitative measure for operating
conditions on a given portion of a road, and is related to the perceptions of motorists
of those conditions. It is basically determined by factors such as speed, travelling
time, delays, freedom to change position in the traffic stream, safety and driving
comfort.
1.4.3 Analysis Period (AP)
The Analysis Period (AP) is usually equal to the functional period for which the road
will have to deliver its functional service. The AP may be made up of one or more
Structural Design Periods (SDP), each with its own Life Cycle Strategy (LCS).
1.4.4 Structural Design Period (SDP)
The Structural Design Period (SDP) is defined as the period during which it is
predicted that no structural improvements will be required, linked to a specified
design reliability. To select the ―optimum pavement‖ in terms of present worth of
cost, it is necessary to evaluate the Life Cycle Strategy of the different pavement
structures.
1.4.5 Life Cycle Strategy (LCS)
The Life Cycle Strategy (LCS) for any pavement design incorporates the predicted
maintenance and rehabilitation programme for that pavement based on its
anticipated behaviour under the prevailing conditions. It normally includes the
funding needs programme for the specific road.
1-4
The design process is the first step in the life cycle of a pavement. Not only will the
final pavement design have an influence on the behaviour of the pavement, but it
also lays the foundation for the maintainability (i.e. frequency and type) and salvage
value of the pavement when it has to be rehabilitated or reconstructed. Thus the
LCS considers the overall performance of the pavement, both structurally and
economically, over its structural design and analysis period.
1.4.6 Structural Objective (STO)
When a road pavement is designed initially, the design should agree with the
current service objective, and with due regard for the life cycle strategy for that
section of road.
The aim of the basic structural objective (STO) may be summarised as follows:
To produce a structurally balanced pavement structure of sufficient bearing capacity

under the prevailing environmental conditions, in order to fulfil the function need as
defined by the Functional Service Level (FSL). This includes the design and
maintenance predicted in the Life Cycle Strategy (LCS) that it will be able to carry
the traffic cost effectively, over the Structural Design Period (SDP) in accordance
with the Service Objective (SO).
While the pavement may be maintained or upgraded in accordance with the life
cycle strategy in order to uphold the functional serviceability commensurate with the
service objective over the analysis period, it should not exhibit signs of major
distress requiring structural rehabilitation. This means that the Present Worth of
Cost (PWOC) of alternative designs should be calculated during the life cycle
strategy analysis, in order to determine the most economical pavement structure
integrated with the in situ conditions.
1.4.7 Road Category
Generally, a road authority may have a number of road categories to suit the
different levels of service the system has to deliver, based on the associated service
objectives. Each of these road categories will necessitate certain geometrical and
structural standards to ensure that the service objectives of the road can be met,
and maintained throughout its analysis period. The more important a road, the
1-5
higher its level of service and thus its physical properties and standards, hence
these roads have a reduced risk of failure (i.e. higher design reliability) over the
structural design period. Four typical road categories may be considered in the
context of pavement design. These are as shown on Table 1.1
Table 1.1: Definition of Typical Road Categories

Road Category
A B C D
Major inter- Lightly
urban Inter-urban trafficked
Rural access
Description freeways and collectors and rural roads,
roads
major rural rural roads strategic
roads roads
Very Less Less
Importance Important
important important important
Very high Moderate Moderate to
High level of
Service Level level of level of low level of
service
service service service
1.4.8 Abbreviations
AADT Average Annual Daily Traffic
AASHTO American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
ADT Average Daily Traffic
AP Analysis Period
B/C
CBR California Bearing Ratio
DCP Dynamic Cone Penetrometer
DT Design Traffic
1-6
EF Equivalence Factors
ESA Equivalent Standard Axles
F/G
FSL Functional Service Level
J/K/L
LCS Life Cycle Strategy
M/N
MDD Maximum Dry Density
O/P
OMC Optimum Moisture Content
PFA Pulverised Fuel Ash
PI Plasticity Index
PL Plastic Limit
PWOC Present Worth of Cost
1-7
SA Standard Axles
SDP Structural Design Period
SO Service Objective
SI International System
STO Structural Objective
TRL Transport Research Laboratory (UK)
UCS Unconfined Compressive Strength
V/W
WIM Weigh in motion
1-8
1.4.9 Definitions
Aggregate
Hard mineral elements of construction material mixtures, for example: sand, gravel (crushed
or uncrushed) or crushed rock.
Analysis period
A selected period over which the present worth of construction costs, maintenance costs
(including user costs) and salvage value are calculated for alternative designs and during
which full reconstruction of the pavement is undesirable.
Average Annual Daily Traffic (AADT)
Total yearly traffic volume in both directions divided by the number of days in the year.
Average Daily Traffic (ADT)
Total number of vehicles (traffic volume) during a given time period in whole days greater
than one day and less than one year divided by the number of days in that time period.
Base Course
The layer(s) of a pavement placed directly upon the sub grade or subbase of planned
thickness.
Behaviour
A function of the condition of the pavement over time.
Bituminous Surface Treatment
The mixing of a bituminous binder material with a specified depth of roadbed material then
spreading and compacting the mixture.
Borrow
Material not obtained from roadway excavation but secured by widening cuts, flattening cut
back slopes, excavating from sources adjacent to the road within the right-of-way, or from
selected borrow pits as may be noted on the plans.
1-9
Camber
The slope from a high point (typically at the center line of a road) across the lanes of a
highway. It is also called Cross fall.
Capacity
The maximum number of vehicles that can pass a point on a road or a designated lane in
one hour without the density being so great as to cause unreasonable delay or restrict the
driver‘s freedom to maneuver under prevailing roadway and traffic conditions.
Capillary Moisture
Moisture which clings to the soil particles by surface tension and reaches the particles either
when free water passes through the soil or by capillary action from a wetter stratum. Within
limits, it can move in any direction.
Capping Layer
A layer of selected fill material placed on the topmost embankment layer or the bottom of
excavation.
Carriageway
Part of the roadway including the various traffic lanes and auxiliary lanes but excluding
shoulders.
Centre Lane
On a dual three-lane road, the middle lane of the three lanes in one direction.
Centreline
Axis along the middle of the road.
Construction Joint
A joint made necessary by a prolonged interruption in the placing of concrete.
Contraction Joint
A joint normally placed at recurrent intervals in a rigid slab to control transverse cracking.
1-10
Criterion
A yardstick according to which some or other quality of the road can be measured. Guideline
values are specific numerical values of the criterion.
Crossfall
The tilt or transverse inclination of the cross-section of a carriageway which is not cambered,
expressed as a percentage.
Density
The number of vehicles per kilometer on the travelled way at a given instant. (Hence
Average Volume = Average Density x Average Speed.)
Design CBR of subgrade
The representative laboratory California Bearing Ratio value for the subgrade which is used
in the structural design.
Design Period
The period of time that an initially constructed or rehabilitated pavement structure will
perform before reaching a level of deterioration requiring more than routine or periodic
maintenance.
Deformed Bar
A reinforcing bar for rigid slabs conforming to ―Requirements for Deformations‖ in AASHTO
Designations M 31M.
Distress
The visible manifestation of the deterioration of the pavement with respect to either the
serviceability or the structural capacity.
Dowel
A load transfer device in a rigid slab, usually consisting of a plain round steel bar.
1-11
Dual Carriageway Road
A road in which there are two physically separated carriageways reserved for traveling in
opposite directions
Embankment
That portion of the road prism composed of approved fill material, which lies above the
original ground and is bounded by the side slopes, extending downwards and outwards from
the outer shoulder breakpoints and on which the pavement is constructed.
Equivalent Standard Axles (ESAS)
Summation of equivalent 8.2 metric ton single axle loads used to combine mixed traffic to
design traffic for the design period (cf. ESA‘s Pavement Design Manual, Volume 1).
Expansion Joint
A joint located to provide for expansion of a rigid slab, without damage to itself, adjacent
slabs, or structures.
Fill
Material which is used for the construction of embankments. Material of which a man-made
raised structure or deposit such as an embankment is composed, including soil, soil-
aggregate or rock. Material imported to replace unsuitable roadbed material is also classified
as fill.
Flat (Terrain)
Flat terrain with largely unrestricted horizontal and vertical alignment; transverse terrain
slope up to 5 percent.
Flexible Pavements
Pavements having sufficient low bending resistance to maintain intimate contact with the
underlying structure yet having the required stability furnished by aggregate inter lock,
particle friction and/or surface tension to support the traffic; e.g. macadam crushed stone,
gravel, and all bituminous types not supported on a rigid base.
1-12
Geometric design
The design of the geometry of the road surface for traffic flow and for the safety and
convenience of the road user.
Ground Water
Free water contained in the zone below the water table,
Heavy vehicle
A vehicle with an axle load > 4000 kg, usually with dual rear wheels.
In situ Layer
The material in excavations, embankments and embankment foundations immediately below

the first layer of subbase, base, or pavement, and to such depth as may affect the structural
design.
J/K/L
Longitudinal Joint
A joint normally placed between traffic lanes in rigid pavements to control longitudinal
cracking.
Maintenance
Routine work performed to keep a pavement, under normal conditions of traffic and forces of
nature, as nearly as possible in its as-constructed condition.
Mechanistic analysis
Analysis of a system taking into account the interaction of various structural components as
a mechanism, here used to describe a design procedure based on fundamental theories of
structural and material behaviour in pavements.
1-13
Median
Area between the two carriageways of a dual carriageway road excluding the inside
shoulders.
Modified material
A Material of which the physical properties have been improved by the addition of a
stabilising agent but in which cementation has not occurred.
Mountainous (terrain)
Terrain that is rugged and very hilly with substantial restrictions in both horizontal and
vertical alignment; transverse terrain slope 25-75 percent.
N/O/P
Pavement
A multi-layered horizontal structure which is constructed for the purpose of carrying traffic.
Includes the layers of different materials which comprise the pavement structure.
Pavement Design
The arrangement of available materials in varying depths to achieve the most advantageous
combination of foundation courses and pavement which will accommodate the anticipated
wheel-load repetitions.
Pavement Layers
The layers of different materials, which comprise the pavement structure.
Performance
The measure of satisfaction given by the pavement to the road user over a period of time,
quantified by a serviceability/age function.
Permeability
The property of soils which permits the passage of any fluid. Permeability depends on grain
size, void ratio, shape and arrangement of pores.
Perched Ground Water
Ground water located above the level of the general body of ground water and separated
from it by a zone of impermeable material.
1-14
Present Serviceability Index
Riding quality
Present worth of costs
Sum of the costs of the initial construction of the pavement, the later maintenance costs and
the salvage value discounted to a present monetary value.
Project Specifications
The specifications relating to a specific project, which form part of the contract documents
for such project, and which contain supplementary and/or amending specifications to the
standard specifications.
Pumping
The ejection of foundation material, either wet or dry, through joints or cracks, or along
edges of rigid slabs resulting from vertical movements of the slab under traffic.
Resurfacing
A supplemental surface or replacement placed on an existing pavement to improve its

surface integrity or increase its strength.
Riding quality
The general extent to which road users experience a ride that is smooth and comfortable or
bumpy ant thus unpleasant and perhaps dangerous.
Rigid Pavements
Pavements which due to high bending resistance distribute loads to the foundation over a
comparatively large area: e.g., Portland cement and brick, stone block or bituminous
pavement on a Portland cement concrete base.
Road
Way for vehicles and for other types of traffic which may or may not be lawfully usable by all
traffic.
1-15
Road Bed
The natural in-situ material on which the embankment or capping layers are to be
constructed.
Road Functional Classification
Classification of roads according to service provided in terms of the road hierarchy.
Road Prism
The cross sectional area bounded by the original ground level and the sides of slopes in
cuttings and embankments excluding the pavement.
Road Width
A measurement at right angle to the centerline incorporating travelled way, shoulders and,
when applicable, central reserve.
Roadside
General term denoting the areas adjoining the outer edges of the shoulders.
Roadway
Part of the road comprising the carriageway, shoulders and median. Also referred as the
area normally travelled by vehicles and consisting of one or a number of contiguous traffic
lanes, including auxiliary lanes and shoulders.
Roadway Width
The cross sectional area bounded by the original ground level and the sides of slopes in
cuttings and embankments excluding the pavement.
Rolling (Terrain)
Terrain with low hills introducing moderate levels of rise and fall with some restrictions on
vertical alignment; traverse terrain slope 5-20 percent.
Rural road
A surfaced secondary road serving small rural communities and carrying very light traffic
with a relatively low level of service.
1-16
Reinforcement
Steel embedded in a rigid slab to resist tensile stresses and detrimental opening of cracks.
Rigid Pavement
A pavement structure which distributes loads to the subgrade, having as one course a
Portland cement concrete slab of relatively high-bending resistance.
Road Bed
The natural in situ material on which the fill, or the absence of fill, any pavement layers, are
to be constructed.
Road Bed Material
The material below the subgrade extending to such depth as affects the support of the
pavement structure.
Selected layer:
The lowest of the pavement layers, comprising controlled material, either in situ or imported.
Serviceability
The measure of satisfaction given by the pavement to the road user at a certain time,
quantified by factors such as riding quality and rut depth.
Shoulder
Part of the road outside the carriageway, but at substantially the same level, for
accommodation of stopped vehicles for emergency use, and for lateral support of the
carriageway.
Shoulder Breakpoint
The point on a cross section at which the extended flat planes of the surface of the shoulder
and the outside slope of the fill and pavement intersect.
Stabilisation
The treatment of the materials used in the construction of the road bed material, fill or
pavement layers by the addition of a cementations binder such as lime or Portland cement
1-17
or the mechanical modification of the material through the addition of a soil binder or a
bituminous binder. Concrete and asphalt shall not be considered as materials that have
been stabilised.
Standard Axle (SA):
80 kN Single axle dual wheel configuration is the Standard Axle (SA). (The maximum
legally permissible single axle load (4 or more tyres) is 88 kN.)
Structural design
The design of the pavement layers for adequate structural strength under the design
condition of traffic loading, environment and subgrade support.
Structural design period
The chosen minimum period during which the pavement is designed to carry the traffic in the
prevailing environment with a reasonable degree of confidence that structural maintenance
will not be required.
Structural maintenance
Measures that will strengthen, correct a structural flaw in, or improve the riding quality of an
existing pavement, e.g. overlay, smoothing course and surface treatment, partial
reconstruction (say base and surfacing), etc.
Subbase
One or more courses of soil or aggregate, or both, of planned thickness and quality placed
on the sub-grade as the foundation for a base. Also in the case of rigid pavements, the layer
below the concrete slab.
Subgrade
The completed earthworks within the road prism prior to the construction of the pavement
layers This comprises the in situ material of the roadbed and any fill material. In structural
design only the subgrade within the material depth is considered.
Surfacing
The uppermost pavement layer which provides the riding surface for vehicles.
1-18
Tie Bar
A deformed steel bar or connector embedded across a joint in a rigid slab to prevent
separation of abutting slabs.
Traffic
Vehicles, pedestrians and animals travelling along a route.
Traffic Lane
Part of a travelled way intended for a single a stream of traffic in one direction, which has
normally been demarcated as such by road markings.
Traffic Volume
The number of vehicles or persons that pass over a given section of a lane or a roadway
during a time period of one hour or more.
Truck
A general term denoting a motor vehicle designed for transportation of property. The term
includes single-unit trucks and truck combinations.
Truck Combinations
A truck tractor and semi-trailer, either with or without a full trailer, or a truck with one or more
full trailers.
Two Axle Truck
A two axle freight vehicle with a total of six tyres. (Dual tyres on the rear axle.)
Typical Cross-Section
Cross-section of a road showing standard dimensional details and features of construction.
U/V
Volume
The number of vehicles passing a given point during a specified period of time.
1-19
Water Table
The surface of the ground water below which the void spaces are completely saturated.
Wearing Course
The top layer of a pavement designed to provide a surface resistant to traffic abrasion
without necessarily imparting any structural values to the pavement. Wearing course
includes light bituminous macadam (sometimes designated as armour coat), seal coat with
mineral aggregate cover and coarse non-skid treatment similar to a seal coat.
Welded Wire Fabric
Welded steel wire fabric for concrete reinforcement.
1-20
2 Climate
The climatic conditions (moisture and temperature) under which the road will
function must be taken into account in the design of a pavement structure.
The moisture conditions will largely determine the weathering of natural rocks, the
durability of weathered natural road building and also, depending on drainage
conditions, the stability of untreated materials in the pavement.
The climate may also influence the equilibrium moisture content, and the ambient
pavement temperatures may affect the stability of bituminous surfacing.
The designer should therefore consider the climatic conditions and avoid using
excessively water susceptible or temperature sensitive materials in adverse
conditions.
2.1 Climatological Zones
Nigeria is divided into four distinct climatological zones, each with unique rainfall
and temperature characteristics. Figure 2.1 shows the four zones on a state map of
Nigeria.
Figure 2.1 Climatological Zones of Nigeria
2-21
Table 2.1 Describes the climate and rainfall range in each of the climatological
zones.
Table 2.1 Climate and Rainfall Characteristics of Climatological Zones
Nigeria Climatological Zones
Zone Climate Rainfall (mm)
Zone 1 Hot Dry 528 – 960
Zone 2 Temperate Dry 1 077 – 1 399
Zone 3 Hot Humid 1 183 – 1 787
Zone 4 Warm Humid 1 185 – 2 788
2.2 Temperature Distribution in Nigeria
Temperature is an important consideration in the selection of pavement materials,

especially bituminous materials which can be highly temperature sensitive.
Figure 2.2 and Figure 2.3 show maps of the annual minimum and maximum
temperature distribution across the country.
Figure 2.2 Annual Minimum Temperature Distribution
2-22
Figure 2.3 Annual Maximum Temperature Distribution
From the values shown on the map, it can be concluded that Nigeria has a generally
moderate to hot temperature range. Provision should be made for high surface
temperatures on the road surface, particularly in the northern regions.
2-23
2.3 Rainfall Distribution in Nigeria
Figure 2.4 shows the mean annual rainfall distribution across the country.
Figure 2.4 Annual Rainfall Distribution in Nigeria
From the values shown on the map, it can be concluded that the southern parts of
Nigeria are fairly wet and pavements would be expected to perform in wet
conditions often during the year. Special provisions should therefore be made for
drainage design, including subsurface drainage.
The northern parts of the country are dry.
2.4 Definition of Wet or Dry Conditions
Rainfall can seasonably influence the bearing capacity of sub grade materials.
Moisture has a direct effect on pavement wearing surfaces which will be reflected in
the cost of maintenance and repairs.
Factors which will have an influence on the selection, apart from broad climatic
considerations, also include drainage and maintenance regimes that are anticipated
for the road. It is a basic fact that, for any road, the frequent ingress of water to the
2-24
pavement layers will result in unwanted deterioration under trafficking. The rate and
degree of such deterioration will also therefore depend on the level of trafficking.
While the underlying requirement for any road is the provision of good drainage and
operation of an effective maintenance programme to ensure that water does not
penetrate the pavement, real life conditions may not always match these needs.
Although it is implicitly assumed that suitable drainage and maintenance should be

effected during the life of the road, and that lack of either of these will undoubtedly
have a negative impact on long-term performance, it is acknowledged that
deficiencies do occur. Such deficiencies should, nevertheless, be addressed in
order to preserve the investment made in the road.
2-25
3 Design Traffic and Pavement Class
3.1 General
The deterioration of paved roads caused by traffic, results from the magnitude of the
individual wheel loads, the contact tyre pressure and the number of times these
loads are applied (load repetitions). For pavement design purposes, it is necessary
to consider not only the total number of vehicles that will use the road, but also the
axle loads of these vehicles.
The loads imposed by light vehicles do not contribute significantly to the structural
damage. For the purpose of structural design, cars and similar-sized vehicles can
be ignored and only the axle loading of the heavy vehicles that will use the road
during its design life need to be considered.
3.2 Structural Design Period (SDP)
The SDP is the period during which the road is expected to carry traffic at a
satisfactory level of service, without requiring major rehabilitation or repair work.
For most road projects an economic analysis of between 10 and 20 years from the
date of opening is appropriate, but for major projects, this period should be tested
as part of the appraisal process.(2)
NOTE :
It is implicit, however, that certain maintenance work will be carried out throughout
this period in order to meet the expected design life. This maintenance work is primarily
to keep the pavement in a satisfactory serviceable condition, and would include routine
maintenance tasks and periodic resealing as necessary. Absence of this type of
maintenance would almost certainly lead to premature failure (earlier than the design
life) and significant loss of the initial investment.
As described in section 1.4.5, a Life Cycle Analysis of a road project takes into
consideration the initial capital required to construct the road, as well as the funding
requirements for maintenance over the life of the road to maintain an adequate level
of service. A Life Cycle Strategy is therefore normally the choice of high initial
capital expenditure, with subsequent lower maintenance costs, or low initial capital
expenditure, with subsequent higher maintenance cost.
3-1
The selection of Design Period is a matter of balance between the Life Cycle
Strategy to be adopted, and the life cycle funding requirements. Design Period is
therefore dependent on the quality, quantity and availability of resources, as well as
political implications.
The selection of Design Period may be done on the basis of the category of the
road, that is, its relative importance in the total road network, as measured by the
volume and type of traffic that the road carries. The four road categories described
in Table 1.3 may be considered as follows:
Category A
For Category A roads, the SDP should be relatively long because:
 These are normally the heaviest-trafficked roads in the country

 Road user costs are high and the cost of interrupting traffic for maintenance
is high
 Road alignment is normally fixed with high certainty of not changing
 It is normally not acceptable to road users to carry out heavy rehabilitation at
short intervals
Category B
For Category B roads, the SDP may vary depending on the circumstances. Long
design periods will be selected when circumstances are similar to Category A roads.
A shorter design period would be selected where:
 A short geometric life for a facility in a changing traffic situation

 There is a lack of funds
 There is a lack of confidence in design assumptions, especially the design
traffic
Category C
A relatively short SDP is often selected for Category C roads because of financial
constraints.
3-2
Category D
On Category D roads, expected traffic growth will be rapid or unpredictable. A

relatively short structural period will enable maintenance and/or upgrading
strategies to be adapted to circumstances without incurring a high initial capital
outlay. The designs are initially more economical, but carry a relatively high risk of
failure.
Table 3.1 shows the recommended design period for each road category.
Table 3.1 Typical Structural Design Periods for Various Road Categories
Road Category Design Period

A 20
B 20
C 15
D 10
Note: An SDP longer than 20 years is not recommended, due to the difficulty of
projecting traffic over a period that long.
3.3 Design Traffic
In Nigeria, the standard axle load is 80kN. (Legally permissible axle load is 8.2
tonnes)
The cumulative damaging effect of all individual axle loads is expressed as the
number of equivalent 80kN single axle loads (ESAs or E80s). The ESAs thus
represent the number of standard loads that would cause the same damage to the
pavement, as the actual traffic spectrum of all the axle loads.
A pavement must be designed to have a specific bearing capacity which is

expressed in terms of the number of Standard Axle (80kN) load repetitions that will
result in a certain condition of deterioration - the terminal condition - indicating that
the pavement has structurally ―failed‖, and can no longer support the functional
service set by the service objective.
3-3
The pavement design process requires the estimation of the average daily number
of ESAs on one lane at the opening of the new road to traffic, which is then
projected and cumulated over the design period to give the design traffic loading.
This guideline document presents a procedure to calculate design traffic from

available traffic information. For a detailed procedure for the collection of traffic
information, including guidance on dealing with seasonal traffic variations, the
designer is directed to the following publications:
 Overseas Road Note 40: A Guide to axle load surveys and traffic counts for
determining traffic loading on pavements. (3)
(http://www.transport-links.org/transport_links/filearea/publications)
 Highway Capacity Manual, 2010(4)
 NCHRP Report 538: traffic Data Collection, Analysis, and Forecasting for
Mechanistic Pavement Design(5)
The estimation of Design Traffic involves various steps as described in sections

3.3.1 to 3.3.5
3.3.1 Baseline Traffic Flows
In order to determine the total traffic over the design life of the road, the first step is
to estimate baseline traffic flows. The estimate should be the Annual Average Daily
Traffic (AADT) or Average Daily Traffic (ADT) currently using the route (if an existing
route), or expected to use the route on opening to traffic (if a new route), classified
into the vehicle categories of cars, light goods vehicles, trucks (which normally
includes several sub-classifications to differentiate rigid and articulated vehicles,
trucks with trailers, and various multi-axle configurations typical to the area) and
buses.
NOTE:
The AADT is defined as the total annual traffic summed for both directions and
divided by 365. It is usually obtained by recording actual traffic flows over a shorter
period from which the AADT is then estimated, taking seasonal variations into
account. For long projects, large differences in traffic along the road may make it
necessary to estimate the flow at several locations. It should be noted that for
structural design purposes, the traffic loading in one direction is required.
In order to reduce error, it is recommended that traffic counts to establish ADT at a

specific site conform to the following practice:
3-4
i. The counts are for seven consecutive days

ii. The counts on some of the days are for a full 24 hours, with preferably one
24hour count on a weekday and one during a weekend. On the other days,
12 hour counts should be sufficient, with the 24hour counts used to
determine an appropriate ratio to estimate the 24hour counts from the 12-
hour counts.
iii. Counts are avoided at times when travel activity is abnormal for short
periods, for example, month-end, public holidays, etc.
iv. If possible, the seven day counts should be repeated several times
throughout the year
3.3.2 Determining Average Daily ESAs (ADE)
The traffic loading is calculated by converting the ADT to ADE. This is done by
converting the volume of each vehicle class into Equivalent Standard Axles (ESAs).
The ADE is thus calculated as the sum of the product of the ADT per vehicle class,
and the average ESA per vehicle class.
ADE = 𝐀𝐃𝐓𝐣 𝐱 𝐄𝟖𝟎𝐣 ...................................................................................................Equation 3-1
Where,
ADE = Average Daily ESAs
ADTj = Average Daily Traffic per vehicle class ‗j‘
E80j = Average ESA per vehicle class ‗j‘
The average ESAs per vehicle class are determined from axle mass surveys.
Based on an axle load study carried out in Nigeria in 2008, ESAs per heavy vehicle
used for design should be as shown on Table 3.2
Table 3.2 Typical ESAs per Heavy Vehicle
Load-Control Situation Range of ESAs per HV
No overloading 1,0 – 2,5
Overloading Expected 5,5 – 23,0
3-5
If no recent axle load data is available, it is recommended that axle load

surveys of heavy vehicles are undertaken whenever a major road project is
being designed. Ideally, several surveys at different periods which will reflect
seasonal changes in the magnitude of axle loads are recommended.
Portable vehicle-wheel weighing devices are available which enable a small
team to weigh up to 90 vehicles per hour. Detailed guidance on carrying out
axle load surveys and analysing the results is given in Road Note 40.(3)
It is recommended that axle load surveys are carried out by weighing a sample of
vehicles at the roadside. The sample should be chosen so that a maximum of about
60 vehicles per hour are weighed. The weighing site should be level and, if possible,
constructed in such a way that vehicles are pulled clear of the road when being
weighed. The portable weighbridge should be mounted in a small pit with its surface
level with the surrounding area. This ensures that all of the wheels of the vehicle
being weighed are level, and eliminates the errors which can be introduced by even
a small twist or tilt of the vehicle. More importantly, it also eliminates the large errors
that can occur if all the wheels on one side of multiple axle groups are not kept in
the same horizontal plane. The load distribution between axles in multiple axle
groups is often uneven, and therefore each axle must be weighed separately. The
duration of the survey should be based on the same considerations as for traffic
counting.
On certain roads, it may be necessary to consider whether the axle load distribution
of the traffic travelling in one direction, is the same as that of the traffic travelling in
the opposite direction. Significant differences between the two streams can occur on
roads serving docks, quarries, cement works, etc, where the vehicles travelling one
way are heavily loaded, but are empty on the return journey. In such cases, the
results from the more heavily trafficked lane should be used when converting
commercial vehicle flows to the equivalent number of standard axles for pavement
design.
Similarly, special allowance must be made for unusual axle loads on roads which
mainly serve one specific economic activity, since this can result in a particular
vehicle type being predominant in the traffic spectrum This is often the case, for
example, in timber extraction areas, mining areas and oil fields.(6)
3-6
Two types of axle mass surveys may be done:
 Static weighing - this requires vehicles to be stationary

 Dynamic weighing- this is used at sites such as multi-lane highways or
where the terrain and traffic flow does not allow for the static weighing of all
the vehicles, or for a representative sample to be obtained.
The loads determined for each axle are converted to an equivalency factor using the
equation:
𝑷
F = ( )𝒏 ..............................................................................................................................................Equation 3-2
𝟖𝟎
Where,
n = relative damage exponent
F = load equivalency factor
P = axle load, in kN
Note: The relative damage exponent, n, is an empirically determined number that is

dependent on the type of pavement, its failure mechanism and its state.
3.3.3 Traffic Categories
In order to forecast traffic growth, it is necessary to separate traffic into three

categories:
i. Normal Traffic - Traffic which would pass along the existing road, even if no
new pavement were provided.
ii. Diverted Traffic - Traffic that changes from another route (or mode of
transport) to the project road because of the improved pavement, but still
travels between the same origin and destination.
iii. Generated Traffic - Additional traffic which occurs in response to the
provision of improvement of the road.
The growth in normal traffic is estimated on the basis of historic traffic growth rates.
In the absence of historic information, a realistic growth rate is estimated on the
basis of information available from other roads in other parts of the country or the
expected economic development in the country.
3-7
Diverted Traffic and Generated Traffic are estimated through simplified traffic
modelling, which might include an origin-destination survey on nearby parallel
routes and assessment land-use in the vicinity of the new road.
3.3.4 Determination of Future Traffic Loading – ESA Growth Rate
The determination of traffic loading after the date on which the information was
collected is done by projecting the initial ADE, using an appropriate growth rate. The
ESA growth rate comprises two components:
 The increase in heavy vehicle traffic volume. This may be considered to

consist of the overall traffic growth rate and the increase in heavy vehicles
as a percentage of total traffic
 The increase in the loading of heavy vehicles
The ESA growth rate may be calculated from historical growth rates and by
subjective adjustment by the designer. The designer should always critically
evaluate growth rate figures that are obtained from whatever source, and consider
whether the figures are realistic in the light of knowledge about local conditions. The
following should be considered:
 Will facilities in the area generate additional heavy vehicle journeys? And if
so, for how long?
 What economic growth is expected for the area?
 Are alternative modes of transport available, or will they be constructed?
 How could future government legislation affect heavy vehicle growth, e.g.
deregulation and axle load limits?
 How much traffic will be diverted to the planned new route initially?
 Could the growth rate be negative?
A sensitivity analysis with different growth rates in E80s should be carried out.
3.3.5 Calculating Cumulative Equivalent Standard Axle Loading
The pavement design process requires the estimation of the average daily number
of ESAs on one lane at the opening of the new road to traffic, which is then
projected and cumulated over the design period to give the design traffic loading.
3-8
This is done as outlined in the following steps:
i. Determine the baseline Average Daily Traffic (ADT) for each class of vehicle
ii. Determine the one-directional traffic flow for each vehicle class expected
over the design life and convert to ESAs using appropriate equivalency
factors. (If detailed information is available that shows a difference between
the flows in each direction, the higher of the two directional values should be
used for design).
iii. Project the ADE at a selected growth rate, cumulating the total over the
design period to determine the design traffic load.
The cumulative ESA per lane may be calculated from:
ESAtotal = ADEinitial x fy .............................................................................Equation 3-3
Where,
fy = cumulative factor from Table 3.3
y = structural design period
The design carriageway widths and type of road may be used to further analyse the
probable design needs. Table 3.4 gives the basis for design traffic loading using the
nominal totals for each direction as determined.
3-9
3-10
Table 3.3: Traffic Growth Factor
Traffic Growth Factor, fy

I (% per annum)
DESIGN PERIOD, y
2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
(years)
4 1 534 1 612 1 693 1 776 1 863 1 954 2 048 2 145 2 246 2 351
5 1 937 2 056 2 181 2 313 2 451 2 597 2 750 2 912 3 081 3 259
6 2 349 2 518 2 699 2 892 3 098 3 317 3 552 3 801 4 067 4 349
7 2 768 2 998 3 248 3 517 3 809 4 124 4 465 4 833 5 229 5 657
Highway Manual Part 1: Design
8 3 195 3 498 3 829 4 193 4 592 5 028 5 506 6 029 6 601 7 227
9 3 632 4 017 4 446 4 923 5 452 6 040 6 693 7 417 8 220 9 110
10 4 077 4 558 5 100 5 711 6 399 7 174 8 046 9 028 10 131 11 370
11 4 530 5 119 5 793 6 562 7 440 8 444 9 589 10 895 12 385 14 082
12 4 993 5 704 6 527 7 481 8 586 9 866 11 347 13 062 15 045 17 336
13 5 465 6 312 7 305 8 473 9 846 11 458 13 352 15 575 18 184 21 242
14 5 947 6 944 8 131 9 546 11 232 13 242 15 637 18 491 21 887 25 928
15 6 438 7 601 9 005 10 703 12 757 15 240 18 243 21 873 26 258 31 551
16 6 939 8 285 9 933 11 954 14 434 17 478 21 213 25 796 31 415 38 300
17 7 450 8 996 10 916 13 304 16 279 19 984 24 599 30 346 37 500 46 398
18 7 972 9 735 11 957 14 763 18 308 22 790 28 459 35 625 44 681 56 115
19 8 504 10 504 13 062 16 338 20 540 25 934 32 859 41 749 53 154 67 776
20 9 046 11 304 14 232 18 039 22 996 29 455 37 875 48 852 63 153 81 769
21 9 599 12 136 15 473 19 877 25 697 33 398 43 594 57 091 74 951 98 561
22 10 163 13 001 16 788 21 861 28 668 37 815 50 113 66 650 88 873 118 711
23 10 739 13 900 18 183 24 004 31 937 42 762 57 545 77 737 105 300 142 892
24 11 326 14 836 19 661 26 319 35 532 48 302 66 018 90 598 124 685 171 908
25 11 925 15 809 21 227 28 818 39 486 54 507 75 676 105 517 147 559 206 728
Volume III: Pavement and Materials Design
fy = 365 x (1+0.01i) x [(1+0.01i)y – 1] / (0.01i)

Table 3.4: Factors for Design Traffic Loading
Design Traffic
Road type Comment
Loading
Single carriageway
Paved road width 4,5 m or Up to twice the sum of The total traffic must be designed for
less the ESAs in each as there will be significant overlap in
direction* each direction. For widths of 3.5m or
less, double the total should be used
due to channelization
Paved road width 4.5 m to 80% of the sum of the To allow for considerable overlap in
6.0 m ESAs in each direction the central section of the road
Paved road width more Total ESAs in the most No overlap effectively, vehicles
than 6.0 m heavily trafficked remaining in lanes
direction
Dual carriageway
Less than 2,000 90% of the total ESAs The majority of heavy vehicles will
commercial vehicles per in the direction travel in one lane effectively
day in one direction
More than 2,000 80% of the total ESAs The majority of heavy vehicles will
commercial vehicles per in the direction still travel in one lane effectively, but
day in one direction greater congestion leads to more
lane switching
* Judicious to use double the total ESAs expected, as normally these are low trafficked roads
and this may give little difference in pavement structure.
For dual carriageways it is not recommended to adopt different designs for the
different lanes for the main reason that, apart from practical issues, there are likely
to be occasions when traffic is required to switch to the fast lane or other
carriageway due to repair works on the slow lane, for example. This could then lead
to accelerated deterioration of the fast lanes, and any initial cost savings could be
heavily outweighed by future expenditure and loss of serviceability.
3-11
3.4 Design Traffic Class
The pavement structures suggested in this guide are classified in various traffic
categories by cumulative ESAs expected. Table 3.5 gives these classifications, and
the design traffic determined from Section 3.3.5. This is used to decide which
design pavement category is applicable.
Table 3.5 Design Traffic Classes

Design Traffic Class Designation
T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 T8 T9
Traffic
ranges 0,3 – 0,7 – 30 –
< 0,3 1,5 - 3 3-6 6 - 10 10 - 17 17 - 30
(million 0,7 1,5 100
ESAs)
If calculated, design values are very close to the boundaries of a traffic class, the
values used in the forecasts should be reviewed and a sensitivity analysis carried
out to determine which category is most appropriate.
An important addition here is the inclusion of a new traffic category T9- traffic
range 30 – 100 million ESAs. This category is not included in the design
catalogue. If the design traffic is determined to be ‘T9’, the other methods
contained in this catalogue should be used for design.
The lowest traffic class T1, for design traffic of less than 0,3 million ESAs, is
regarded as a practical minimum, since realistic layer thicknesses, as well as
materials specifications tend to rule out lighter structures for lesser traffic.
However, in the unlikely case that design traffic is estimated at less than 0,1 million
ESAs (that is, traffic significantly less than the lowest class T1), the engineer should
consider alternative designs proven locally for this very light traffic load.
Appendix A contains a summary of the axle load study carried out in Nigeria
in 2008.
3-12
4 Subgrade
4.1 General
The type of subgrade is largely determined by the location of the road, that is, by the
geology of the area traversed by the road.
The designer may refer to the following publications for information on Nigeria‘s
geology:
 Akintola, F.A. (1982) Geology and geomorphology. In: K.M. Barbour. (Editor)
Nigeria in maps. Hodder and Stoughton,London.
 Areola, O. (1982) Soils. In: K.M. Barbour. (Editor) Nigeria in maps. Hodder
and Stoughton,London.
The classification of the subgrade material is based on the soaked California

Bearing Ratio (CBR) at a representative density. For structural purposes, when a
material is classified according to CBR, it is implied that no more than 10% of the
measured values for such a material will fall below the classification value. A soil
survey of appropriate extent should therefore be conducted.
The characteristics of in-situ soils directly affect not only the pavement structure
design, but may even dictate the type of pavement best suited for a given location.
A careful evaluation of soil characteristics is a basic requirement for each individual
pavement structure design.
4.2 Material Depth
The concept of ‗material depth‘ is used to denote the depth below the finished level
of the road to which soil characteristics have a significant effect on pavement
behaviour. Below this depth, the strength and density of the soils are assumed to
have a negligible effect on the pavement.
Table 4.1 shows typical thicknesses of pavement layers above the in-situ subgrade
for the different road categories.
It is however recommended that on all road projects, sampling of material be done

to a depth of 1,2 m
4-1
Table 4.1 Typical Pavement Thickness by Road Category
Road Category Pavement Thickness (mm)*

A 1 000 - 1 200
B 800 - 1 000
C 800
D 700
* Total thickness of pavement above the roadbed
4.3 Classification of Subgrades
This section is based closely on the SATCC Draft Code of Practice for the
Rehabilitation of Road Pavements.(7)
Besides traffic loading, the subgrade strength is the other most important factor
which governs pavement structural design.
The first step in the classification of the subgrade for the purpose of pavement
design, involves the determination of uniform sections in terms of subgrade
condition, based on geological and soil property assessments and other physical
assessments such as the Dynamic Cone Penetrometer (DCP) test or in situ bearing
tests.
Thereafter, the focus is on the classification of these sections in terms of the

California Bearing Ratio (CBR), to represent realistic conditions for design. In
practice, this means determining the CBR strength for the wettest moisture
condition likely to occur during the design life, at the density expected to be
achieved in the field.
The classification of subgrade condition in this guide is similar to RN31(6) and is

shown in Table 4.2.
Table 4.2 Subgrade Classification

Subgrade Class Designation
S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6
Subgrade
CBR
ranges 2 3-4 5-7 8 - 14 15 - 29 30+
(%)
4-2
Since the combination of density and moisture content wholly governs the CBR for a
given material, it is clear that changes in moisture content will alter the effective
CBR in the field, and particular effort must be taken to define the design subgrade
condition.
The result of incorrect subgrade classification can have significant effects,

particularly for poorer subgrade materials with CBR values of 5 percent and less. If
the subgrade strength is overestimated (i.e. the support is actually weaker than
assumed), there is a high likelihood of local premature failures and unsatisfactory
performance. Conversely, if the subgrade strength is underestimated (i.e. the
support is stronger than assumed), then the pavement structure selected will be
thicker, stronger and more expensive than needed.
4.3.1 Representative Subgrade Moisture Content
The estimation of the wettest subgrade condition likely to occur, for design
purposes, is the first stage in determining the design subgrade CBR. It is well
known that moisture contents in subgrades are prone to variation due to natural
effects, including rainfall, evaporation, and proximity of water table, as well as
material type.
Any available local knowledge of the subgrade, locale, and prevailing conditions,
should be drawn on first in determining the nominal design moisture content. Direct
sampling should be undertaken if there is a clear understanding of how the sampled
moisture content relates to the probable wettest condition to be encountered. If
such specific information is not available, or it is felt necessary to supplement the
available information, the following approach is suggested to estimate design
moisture content.
a) Areas where water-tables are normally high, regular flooding occurs, rainfall
exceeds 250 mm per year, conditions are swampy, or other indicators
suggest wet conditions occurring regularly during the life of the road leading
to possible saturation:
Design moisture content should be the optimum moisture content

determined from the AASHTO (Proctor) compaction test T-99 for the design
moisture content.
4-3
b) Areas where water-tables are low, rainfall is low (less than 250 mm per
year), no distinct wet season occurs, or other indicators suggest that little
possibility of significant wetting of the subgrade should occur.
Use the moisture content determined from the following formula based on
the optimum moisture content (OMC) determined from the AASHTO
(Proctor) compaction test T-99:
DMC = 0.67 * OMC (%) + 0.8 .................................................................Equation 4-1
Where,
DMC = Design Moisture Content
OMC = The optimum moisture content from the AASHTO (Proctor)
compaction test T-99, and the simple relationship was derived
from a comprehensive investigation into compaction
characteristics (Semmelink, 19913).
It is recommended to refer to RN 31(6) for further details regarding the estimation of

the subgrade moisture content, with respect to the location of the water table. For
areas with high water tables, the top of the subgrade or improved subgrade must be
raised above the level of the local water table to prevent it being soaked by ground
water.
4.3.2 Classifying Design Subgrade Strength
The subgrade strength for design should reflect the probable lowest representative
CBR likely to occur during the life of the road. The value will be influenced by both
density achieved and moisture content. For practical purposes, it is important that
the highest practical level of density (in terms of Maximum Dry Density, or MDD) be
achieved from the subgrade upwards, in order to minimise subsequent deformations
due to further densification under the traffic loading.
If insufficient compaction is achieved during construction, then the longer term

performance of the road is likely to be negatively affected, so it is critical to ensure
that good compaction is attained. It is also critical to ensure that the subgrade has
been compacted to a reasonable depth in order to avoid the possibility of the road
deforming, due to weakness of the deeper underlying material.
4-4
The following guidance (Table 4.3) is suggested for determining subgrade CBR for
minimum subgrade compaction requirements, and for a control check on subgrade
compaction during construction.
Table 4.3 Method for Classifying Subgrade Design CBR

Expected subgrade conditions Sample conditions for CBR testing*
Saturation is likely at some periods (high rainfall Specimens compacted at OMC (AASHTO
areas, distinct wet season, low-lying areas, T99), to 100%** MOD. CBR measured
flooding, high water-table, etc) after 4 days soaking***.
Saturation unlikely, but wet conditions will occur Specimens compacted at OMC (AASHTO
periodically (high rainfall areas, distinct wet T99), to 100%** MOD. CBR measured at
season, water-table fluctuates, etc) OMC.
Dry conditions (low rainfall areas, water-table Specimens compacted at OMC (AASHTO
low) T99), to 100%** MOD. CBR measured with
no soaking***.
Notes:
* A minimum of six (6) representative samples per uniform section would be expected
for classification purposes
** See (a) below regarding the use of other test moisture content/density
requirements
*** Cohesive materials with Plasticity Indexes (PIs) greater than 20 should be stored
sealed for 24 hours before testing to allow excess pore pressures to dissipate
4.3.3 Minimum subgrade compaction requirements
The method for classification in Table 4.3 assumes that a minimum field compaction
density of 100 percent Proctor MDD (or 95 percent modified AASHTO MDD) will be
attained. In most cases, with current compaction equipment this minimum should
be readily achieved.
Where there is evidence that higher densities can be realistically attained in

construction (from field measurements on similar materials, from established
information, or from any other source), a higher density should be specified by the
Engineer. The higher density should also be used in the CBR classification in Table
4.3 in place of the 100 per cent MDD value.
There may be cases where, because of high field compaction moisture contents
(higher than OMC), material deficiencies or other problems, the CBR sample
conditions are not realistic. In such cases, the Engineer must specify a lower target
density and/or higher moisture content to be substituted for the sample conditions in
Table 4.3 to represent probable field conditions more realistically.
4-5
4.3.4 Specifying the design subgrade class
The CBR results obtained in accordance with Table 4.3 are used to determine
which subgrade class should be specified for design purposes, from Table 4.2.
In some cases, variation in results may make selection unclear. In such cases, it is
recommended that firstly, the laboratory test process is checked to ensure
uniformity (to minimise inherent variation arising from, for example, inconsistent
drying out of specimens). Secondly, more samples should be tested to build up a
more reliable basis for selection.
Plotting these results as a cumulative distribution curve (S-curve), in which the y-

axis is the percentage of samples, less than a given CBR value (x-axis), provides a
method of determining a design CBR value. This is illustrated in Figure 4.1, from
which it is clear that the design CBR class is realistically S2, or 3 - 4 percent CBR.
Choice of class S3 (5 - 7 per cent CBR) would be unjustified as the Figure indicates
that between roughly 20 to 90 per cent of the sampled CBRs would be less than the
class limits.
A good rule of thumb is to use the 10 percent cumulative percentage (percentile) as

a guide to the subgrade class, on the basis that only 10 percent of the actual values
would be expected to have a lower CBR than the indicated CBR. In this case, the
10 percent rule indicates a CBR of approximately 4,5 percent, thus confirming that
the subgrade class of S2 is more appropriate than S3.
4.3.5 Control check on subgrade strength uniformity during construction
It is critical that the nominal subgrade strength is available to a reasonable depth in

order that the pavement structure performs satisfactorily. A general rule is that the
total thickness of new pavement layers (derived from the catalogue), plus the depth
of subgrade, which must be to the design subgrade strength should be 800 to 1 000
mm. Table 4.4 gives recommended thickness of subgrade, with uniform strength
characteristics below the designed pavement layers, for each of the subgrade
classes identified in Table 4.2.
4-6
Figure 4.1 Illustration of CBR Strength Cumulative Distribution
Table 4.4 Recommended Sub-grade Thickness Below Pavement Layers
Subgrade Class Designation
S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6
Minimum Thickness
250 250 350 450 550 650
(mm)
NB: It is suggested that for Nigerian conditions, it may be more appropriate to use a
minimum depth of uniformity for subgrade equal to 450 mm, even for S1, S2 and S3
subgrades.
For the stronger subgrades, especially (class S4 and higher, CBR 8 - 14 percent
and more), the depth check is to ensure that there is no underlying weaker material
which would lead to detrimental performance.
It is strongly recommended that the Dynamic Cone Penetrometer (DCP) be used

during construction to monitor the uniformity of subgrade support to the
recommended minimum depth.
APPENDIX B:- Summarises the contents of research reports obtained from the
Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute which attempt to classify the
subgrades of the various regions in Nigeria.(8)(9)(10)
4-7
5 Problem Soils
5.1 General
Problem soils are in-situ subgrade materials that do not meet minimum strength
requirements for a subgrade, or which possess other unfavourable properties.
These require special treatment before a pavement may be constructed on them.
After treatment, they are reclassified into the standard subgrade classes and an
appropriate pavement design undertaken.
5.2 Low-Strength Soils
Soils with a CBRsoaked < 3% (2% in dry climatic zones), occurring within the material
depth/ design depth are described as low-strength soils. These soils require special
treatment before construction of the pavement layers.
The following techniques may be employed to deal with low-strength soils:
 Treatment with lime or any other cementitious material (typically 2 to 5

percent by weight), will normally enhance CBR. Carbonation can cause
longer term reversion to the original properties, so some caution and special
construction measures should be adopted when using such treatment.
 Treatment with both bitumen-emulsion (typically 1,0 to 1,8 percent residual
bitumen by weight) and cement (typically 1,0 – 1,5 percent by weight), will
normally enhance compactibility and strength/CBR.
 Removal and replacement of soils
 Raising of vertical alignment to increase soil cover, and therefore redefine
the design depth
5.3 Cohesionless Materials, Sands
Techniques which have been found to be effective in certain cases include:
 Treatment with bitumen stability may be a problem unless

well confined
 Treatment with foamed bitumen
5-1
5.4 Dense Clays / Expansive Materials
Expansive soils are those that exhibit particularly large volumetric changes (swell
and shrinkage), following variations in their in-service moisture contents.
The designer is referred to the following publications for a method to predict heave
in clayey soils:
Technical recommendations for Highways (TRH9): Construction of Road

(11) (12)
Embankments. . The method is after Van der Merwe.
Note: Expansive soils should be assessed even when they occur below design
depth.
Chosen measures to minimise or eliminate the effect of expansive soils shall be

economically realistic and proportionate to the risks of potential pavement damage
and increased maintenance costs.
A soil is considered to be potentially expansive and requires extended investigation

if:
 Field visits confirm expansiveness

 PIw is greater than 20%
Where,
PIw = PI (% Passing the 425mm)/ 100...........................................................Equation 5-1
Techniques which have been found to be effective in dealing with expansive soils in
certain cases are:
 Replacement of expansive soils. Expansive soils shall be removed up to 0.6

m to 1.2 m, and back filled with fill materials meeting the general
requirements for fill.
 Treatment with lime - can increase Plastic Limit (PL) and make material
friable/more stable; will normally enhance CBR.
 Provide horizontal and vertical cut-off membranes above and next to
expansive soils to stabilise moisture variation.
5-2
In addition to the above, the following should be noted:

 Moisture - The roadbed of expansive soil shall be kept moist and be covered
with earthworks fill without undue delay
 Compaction - Attempts to densify expansive soils by processing and
compaction are not necessary
5.5 Collapsible Sands and Soils
Collapsible soils can be defined as dominantly sandy materials possessing in-situ

dry densities of less than 85 percent modified AASHTO, and oedometer-measured
collapse potentials under future service stresses of greater than one percent(6).
Problems associated with these materials are probably less widespread than those
associated with expansive materials. As with the latter however, the important step
is to recognize the occurrence of the problem. Soil engineering mapping carried out
by qualified and experienced people should delineate the affected areas. Generally,
the problem can be satisfactorily dealt with during the construction programme since
the collapse phenomenon is not strongly time-dependent. Collapse occurs due to
wetting of the soil, either with or without the addition of a load. The treatment is to
induce the collapse before the placing of the embankment, and this is done by a
process of compacting the in-situ material. At present, this is done by wetting, rolling
and observing the result, rather than by specifying any particular end-result criteria.
With the current development of vibrating and impact rollers, it seems likely that this
approach is sufficient and that satisfactory results will be obtained by specifying a
certain number of roller passes after some preliminary field trials.
This problem has recently been considered by Weston(13), who has recommended
compaction of the upper 0.5 m of roadbed to 90 percent modified AASHTO and of
the next 0.5 m to 85 percent.
Failures of embankments due to collapse of the compacted embankment soil itself

can probably be prevented by compacting the embankment soil to more than both
85 percent modified AASHTO and 1 650 kg/m3, at a moisture content not less than
Proctor optimum, which should be maintained at all points in the embankment,
throughout the period when the load is being increased.(14)
5.6 Dispersive Soils
Dispersive soils are clays that behave as single grained, very fine particles, rather
than as a cohesive mass as clay is expected to perform. As single-grained with very
5-3
fine particles, these soils have almost no resistance to erosion, are susceptible to
pipe developments in earthworks, crack easily and have low shear strength. Their
excessively erodible nature is the major problem associated with dispersive soils for
road construction.
A combination of simple indicator tests, observations of erosion patterns in the field,

soil colour, terrain features and vegetation will together give sufficient indication that
dispersive soils are present, and shall prompt precautions in design and
construction of road projects. Dispersive soils cannot be identified by gradation and
Atterburg Limit tests only.
The following techniques are used to counter dispersive soils:
 Particular attention to erosion protection of cut slopes and in drainage

channels
 Modification with 2% to 3% lime if their use is unavoidable
5.7 Black Cotton Soils of Nigeria and Related Pavement Design
This section summarises the contents of a research report obtained from the
Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute on The Engineering Properties of
Black Cotton Soils of Nigeria and Related Pavement Design.(15)
5.7.1 Origin and Distribution
The black cotton soils are dark coloured expansive clays, characterised by the
phenomena of swelling on absorption of water and shrinkage on drying. These
characteristics make them highly problematic as foundations for both building and
road structures.
In general, the black cotton soils derive their origin from basic igneous rocks such
as basalts, rich in feldspars and mafic minerals such as montmorillonites. In Nigeria,
these soils are found predominantly in the North-Eastern region of the country, lying
within the Chad Basin and partly within the Benue trough. It is believed that these
soils derive their origin in Nigeria, from basalts of the upper Benue trough which
cover several hundred square kilometres, extending North and East of the Jos
Plateau, and from quarternary sediments of lacustrine origin, from the Chad Basin
consisting mainly of shales, clays and sandy sediments.
5-4
Black cotton soils generally occur in poorly-drained areas, with alternating wet and
dry seasons, with an annual rainfall generally less than 1 200 mm. Such
physiographical features and climatic conditions are typified in the Chad Basin,
where sediments were deposited as the old lake expanded and shrank during the
wet and dry periods. Other conditions conducive to their formation include the
cumulative effects of leaching, alkaline environment and retention of calcium and
magnesium in the soil.
5.7.2 Clay Mineralogy and Swelling Mechanism
It is considered necessary for a road engineer to have at least a basic

understanding of the mechanism responsible for the swelling and shrinkage
phenomena in Black Cotton soils, so that the proper precautions are taken at the
design stage. This mechanism of swelling and shrinkage can best be explained by
the mineralogical and chemical structure of black cotton soils.
Of the various clay minerals, viz.,kaolinite, halloysite, montmorillonite and illite, it is

the montmorillonite mineral which is most common in expansive clays or the black
cotton soils. The basic unit for a montmorillonite consists of a gibbsite sheet
between two silica sheets. The gibbsite sheet may include atoms of aluminium, iron,
magnesium or a combination of these. The silicon atom in a silica sheet may
interchange with say, aluminium atom of the gibbsite sheet. These structural
changes termed as isomorphous changes, result in a net negative charge on the
clay mineral.
The cations in water like sodium, potassium, or calcium are attracted to the
negatively charged clay plates, and therefore are in a continuous state of
interchange. The bond between the montmorillonite units is relatively weak, thus
making it possible for water to penetrate in-between these units and cause their
separation. Such a separation of the plates results in ‗swelling‘ of the clay mass.
5.7.3 Categorisation of Black Cotton Soils
It is apparent from laboratory test data that all Black Cotton soils are not the same.
The variations in their particle size distribution, clay and silt contents, liquid and
plastic limits and swell potential are so wide, that the Black Cotton soil cannot be
considered as just one type of soil. It is therefore necessary to develop design
5-5
specifications for each category or group or type of Black Cotton soil encountered in
a particular area.
Considering the simplicity as well as efficacy, the Plasticity Index and the Free Swell
are considered the most significant yet simple-to-determine parameters indicative of
the swell potential of Black Cotton Soil.
The following three categories of Black Cotton Soils are proposed by the NIBRRI
(Research Paper No. 1)(15)
Category I Low Swell Potential
 PI < 20
 Free Swell < 50%
 Percent smaller than 1 micron < 20
Category II Medium Swell Potential
 PI: 15 - 30
 Free Swell: 50 - 80%
 Percent smaller than 1 micron: 20 - 30
Category III High Swell Potential
 PI > 30
 Free Swell > 80%
 Percent smaller than 1 micron > 20
The above is shown diagrammatically on Figure 5.1:
5-6
Figure 5.1 Proposed categorisation for Black Cotton Soils of Nigeria
5-7
Figure 5.2 shows the typical dry density – moisture content curves for the three
categories of BC Soils
Figure 5.2 Typical Dry Density – Moisture Content Curves for the Three
Proposed Categories of BC Soils
Average CBR values for each of the three categories of Black Cotton Soils are
tabulated in Table 5.1
Table 5.1 Strength (CBR) Test Data

Black Cotton Soil Category
Average Test Values for Each Soil Category
I II III
Soaked CBR Value (4 day Soaking) 5 3 2
Swell during soaking in CBR mould 2.5% 3.2% 8.3%
CBR (Unsoaked) at Optimum Moisture and

13 10 8
Maximum Dry Density
CBR (Unsoaked) of soil stabilised with local sand
(1:1) at Optimum Moisture and Maximum Dry 21 16 12
Density
Soaked CBR Value (4 day Soaking) of soil stabilised
11 6 4
with local sand (1:1)
5-8
5.7.4 Pavement Design Aspects
Alternative Design Strategies
The problem peculiar to the design of road pavements on Black Cotton Soil
subgrades arises from the swelling and shrinkage characteristics of these soils with
changes in moisture content. Three broad strategies are available to the designer:
i. Total replacement or partial improvement of the subgrade through

stabilisation with lime, lime+cement, or mechanical stabilisation
ii. Thicker pavement crust to counteract upward swell
iii. Protection from moisture variations
5.8 Problem Laterites of Nigeria
The most common materials used for road construction are lateritic soils because
they occur naturally with intense weathering. Lateritic soils are found in the tropical
environment, where there is an intense chemical weathering and leaching of soluble
minerals. Laterites are reddish brown, well-graded and sometimes extend to a depth
of several tens of metres.
Problem laterite soils are those that do not yield reproducible results using standard
laboratory testing procedures. The soils are difficult to evaluate as engineering
construction materials. The peculiar problems of these soils have been identified as
thermal and mechanical instabilities i.e. the susceptibility to significant changes on
the addition of small levels of thermal or mechanical energy.
Several researchers in Nigeria have undertaken studies on dealing with both

black cotton soils and problem laterites. In future updates of this volume,
effort should be made to consolidate this body of knowledge into design
guidelines for use in Nigeria.
5-9
6 Pavement Materials
This chapter defines the physical properties for materials to be used in the
pavement structure and forms an essential part of the design of a pavement. Within
the limitations given in this chapter, materials used in the structural layers of the
pavement shall be selected according to criteria of availability, economic factors,
and previous experience.
6.1 Unbound Pavement Materials
Generally, these materials show stress-dependent behaviour and under repeated

stresses, deformation can occur through shear and/ or densification.
6.1.1 Granular Base
A wide range of materials can be used for unbound bases. These include crushed
rock or stone, naturally occurring as ‗dug‘ gravels, and various combinations of
crushing and screening, mechanical stabilization (modification) or other
modification. Their suitability for use depends primarily on the design traffic class of
the pavement and climate, but all base materials must have a particle size
distribution and particle shape which provide high mechanical stability. In particular,
they should contain sufficient fines (material passing the 0.425 mm sieve) to
produce a dense material when compacted.
In circumstances where several types of base are suitable, the final choice should
take into account the expected level of future maintenance, and the total cost over
the expected life of the pavement. The use of locally available materials is
encouraged, particularly at low traffic volumes (i.e. categories T1 and T2).
In selecting and using natural gravels, their inherent variability must be taken into
account in the selection process. This normally requires reasonably comprehensive
characterisation testing to determine representative properties, and it is
recommended that a statistical approach be applied in interpreting test results. For
lightly trafficked roads, the specification requirements may be too stringent and
reference should be made to specific case studies, preferably for roads under
similar conditions, in deciding on suitability of materials which do not fully comply
with specification requirements.
6-1
(a) Graded Crushed Stone.
Graded crushed stone can be derived from crushing fresh, quarried rock (used
either as an all-in product, usually termed a crusher-run, or by screening and
recombining to produce a desired particle size distribution), or from crushing and
screening natural granular material, rocks or boulders, to which may be added a
proportion of natural fine aggregate. After crushing, the material should be angular,
but not excessively flaky in order to promote good interlock and performance. If the
amount of fine aggregate produced during crushing is insufficient, additional non-
plastic sand may be used to make up the deficiency.
In constructing a crushed stone base, the aim should be to achieve maximum

density and high stability under traffic. Aggregate durability is normally assessed by
standard crushing tests but these are not as discriminating as durability mill testing,
which is the preferred method. The material is usually kept damp during transport
and laying to reduce the likelihood of particle segregation. These materials are
commonly dumped and spread by grader, rather than the more expensive option of
using a paver, which demands greater construction skill to ensure that the
completed surface is smooth with a tight finish. The Engineer should pay particular
attention to this aspect to guarantee best performance. When properly constructed,
however, crushed stone bases will have CBR values well in excess of 100 per cent1.
(b) Naturally-Occurring Granular Materials
A wide range of materials including lateritic, calcareous and quartzitic gravels, river
gravels and other transported gravels or granular materials resulting from the
weathering of rocks, have been used successfully for bases.
The over-riding requirement for the use of such materials is the achieval of the
minimum design soaked CBR of 80 percent at the specified in-situ density and
moisture content conditions, and the maintaining of this strength in service (long-
term durability) without undesirable volume changes in the material. Some further
discussion is given below, under the sub-section on potential problem materials.
1
The CBR classification is used in this document as being the most widely adopted regional method for assessing
unbound materials. Where other methods are used (such as the Texas Triaxial test), guidance may be needed on
correlation for local materials. As a rule-of-thumb, however, local materials already regarded as "base" or "sub-
base" quality based on previous usage and performance ought to comply with the nominal CBR requirements in this
document. The main criterion is then to ensure that a satisfactory degree of compaction is achieved in the field to
minimise traffic-induced consolidation and premature rutting/failure.
6-2
Guidance on material gradings which ought to meet the performance requirements

is given in the form of grading limits in the specification, for various nominal
maximum aggregate sizes. It must be noted that all grading analyses should be
done on materials that have been compacted, since some material breakdown may
occur during the process. It should also be clearly understood that the gradings are
for guidance and not compliance: material outside the grading limits which is
deemed to meet the CBR strength and the long-term durability requirements should
be deemed acceptable. In other words, the performance criteria are the critical
parameter in selecting materials.
Where the required performance cannot be consistently achieved by a particular as-

dug material, mixing of materials from different sources is permissible in order to
achieve the required properties, which might include adding fine or coarse materials
or combinations of the two. Where blending of different materials is necessary, it
has been found that a high proportion of coarser particles (more than 10 mm
diameter) should have angular, irregular or crushed faces, since this aids in particle
interlock and stability. By the same token, the amount of smooth, rounded,
aggregate particles should be kept as low as possible, and preferably not more than
50 percent of the coarse particle volume.
The fines should preferably be non- plastic, but should normally never exceed a PI
of 6, or a linear shrinkage of 3. If difficulties are encountered in meeting these
criteria, the addition of a low percentage of hydrated lime or cement could be tried.
(i) Potential Problem Materials
Potential problem materials include weathered materials of basic igneous origin,

including basalts and dolerites and others (unsound materials). The state of
decomposition or metamorphic alteration can lead to rapid and premature failure
with moisture ingress, which affects their long term durability even when stabilised.
Identifying these materials can be difficult with normal aggregate classification tests
and other methods must be used (including petrographic analysis and soundness
tests such as soaking in ethylene glycol2). Where there is any doubt about a
material's soundness or suitability, it is advisable to seek expert advice where local
knowledge is insufficient.
2
Chemical soundness tests such as sodium and magnesium sulphate tests are not regarded as such good
indicators as the technique of soaking in ethylene glycol
6-3
Marginal Quality Materials:
There are many examples where gravels, which do not conform to normal
specifications for bases, have been successfully used. Generally, their use should
be confined to the lower traffic categories (T1 and T2), unless local evidence
indicates that they could perform satisfactorily at higher levels. The engineer is
advised to be duly cautious if some extrapolation of performance appears
warranted, and to ensure that the basis of the good behaviour is reasonably
understood. In most cases, the presence or absence of moisture will alter the in-
situ behaviour of such materials, which is why the CBR is normally assessed under
soaked (worst-case) conditions.
(c) Wet- and Dry-Bound Macadams
This is a traditional form of construction, regarded as comparable in performance

with a graded crushed stone that has been used successfully in the tropics. Two
nominal types are used: dry-bound and wet-bound. They are often constructed in a
labour-intensive process whereby the large stones are arranged by hand.
The materials consist of nominal single-sized crushed stone and non-plastic fine
aggregate filler (passing the 5.0 mm sieve). The fine material should preferably be
well graded and consist of crushed rock fines or natural angular pit sand.
Both processes involve laying single-sized crushed stone (often of either 37.5 mm
or 50 mm nominal size), in a series of layers to achieve the design thickness. Each
layer of coarse aggregate should be shaped and compacted and then the fine
aggregate spread onto the surface. The compacted thickness of each layer should
not exceed twice the nominal stone size.
For dry-bound, the fines are vibrated into the voids to produce a dense layer. In wet-
bound (water-bound macadam); the fines are rolled and washed into the surface to
produce a dense material. Any loose material remaining is brushed off, and final
compaction carried out usually with a heavy smooth wheeled roller.
This sequence (large stone, compaction, void filling) is then repeated until the
design thickness is achieved. Production economy can be obtained if layers
consisting of 50 mm nominal size stone and layers of 37.5 mm nominal size stone
are both used, to allow the required total thickness to be obtained more precisely,
and to make better overall use of the output from the crushing plant. Aggregate
6-4
hardness, durability, particle shape and in-situ density should conform to those used
for graded crushed stone.
Due to the method of construction for macadams, the finished surface may be
relatively bumpy and achieving an acceptable riding quality may require an asphalt
levelling course, as well as surfacing. Generally it is more economical to use a
properly specified crusher-run, which will provide a better finished riding surface.
The wet-bound operation should not be even considered where water sensitive,
plastic materials are used in the sub-base or subgrade, as it is practically impossible
to prevent moisture ingress (or even saturation) during construction. If this method
of base construction is used, it should therefore be undertaken on a stabilised sub-
base which will minimize the risk of damage to underlying layers.
6.1.2 Granular Sub-base
The sub-base may fulfil several requirements apart from its load-spreading
capability as part of the pavement structure, including forming a working platform for
the construction of the upper pavement layers, and as a separation layer between
subgrade and base. The choice of sub-base material therefore depends on the
design function of the layer, as well as the anticipated moisture regime both in
service and at construction.
A nominal minimum CBR of 30 percent is required at 95 percent modified AASHTO

MDD (test method T-180). Where construction traffic loading or climate is severe
during construction, the Engineer is advised to specify more stringent requirements.
Broadly, the poorer the conditions, the lower should be the limits on PI and linear
shrinkage, and the more the need for a well-graded better-quality material.
Conversely, for less severe conditions, particularly in drier areas, some relaxation of
these requirements may be deemed justifiable.
In wet areas or if saturation of the layer is anticipated at any time during its life (for
example, if used as a drainage layer, or if water might penetrate at some stage due
to poor surface maintenance and a permeable base), the CBR must be determined
from samples soaked in water for four days. In drier areas, the Engineer may
consider an un-soaked test, but it is strongly advised that the standard soaked test
is adhered to whenever possible. This is because, even in nominally dry areas,
6-5
there may still be some likelihood of wetting or saturation of the sub-base during its
life, the observed effect of which is to cause marked rapid deterioration of the road.
6.1.3 Granular Selected Layer
In a number of cases, particularly for the poorer subgrade support conditions (class
S1, S2 and S3); selected layers are required to provide sufficient cover on weak
subgrades (see Appendix C design catalogue).
The requirements are more relaxed than for sub-bases, with the main criterion being
a minimum CBR strength of 15 percent at 93 percent of the modified AASHTO MDD
(test method T-180), at the highest anticipated moisture content in service.
Estimation of this moisture content must take into account the functions of the
overlying sub-base layer and its expected moisture condition, and the moisture
conditions in the subgrade. If either of these layers is likely to be saturated during
the life of the road, then the selected layer should also be assessed in this state.
Where possible, selected materials should be homogeneous and relatively

insensitive to moisture change on bearing capacity (CBR strength).
6.2 Treated Materials
This section provides guidance on the use of cemented materials as base and sub-
base layers in the pavement structure. In this document, the term cemented
materials covers the main categories of treatment or stabilization with Portland
cement, treatment with lime, and treatment with bitumen emulsion. For more
1
complete discussion of these materials, RN31 is recommended as a source for
cement and lime treatments. For bitumen emulsion treatment, the Asphalt
Academy of South Africa has developed guidelines for the use of these materials.(16)
The use of other materials having natural cementing action (pozzolans), such as
pulverised fuel ash (PFA), is not specifically discussed here, although some of the
design considerations will be similar to the materials considered here. The
Engineer is advised to draw on established local practice and specialist advice if the
use of pozzolans may be warranted.
An overriding consideration in the use of cemented materials is that treatments will

be applied in-situ, with the main intention of enhancing the suitability for pavement
construction of locally available materials, and avoiding the need to import other
6-6
materials. This can usually lead to more cost-effective use of available materials
but, as noted in the guidelines, the economic viability of possible alternative
approaches should be assessed prior to finalising the pavement design.
Beneficial properties that will normally be sought or attained for these types of
materials, compared with the untreated parent material, include:
 Increased strength or stability

 Increased layer stiffness and load-spreading capability
 Increased resistance to erosion
 Reduced sensitivity to moisture changes
 Reduced plasticity.
Potential problems or pitfalls with these types of material, of which the Engineer
should be aware in their application, include:
 Propensity to crack, through traffic loading or environmental conditions

(thermal and shrinkage stresses), particularly with cement treatment.
 Degradation of the cementing action due to carbonation (carbon dioxide),
specifically for cement and lime treatment.
 Requirement for greater levels of skill and control during construction
(compared with untreated materials) to achieve satisfactory results.
Results from pavements using bitumen emulsion treated materials indicate that this
type of material is immune to the first two potential problems, but it is more
expensive and requires greater levels of skill and control during construction
(compared with cement stabilised materials) to achieve satisfactory results.
Construction of satisfactory cemented layers is largely dependent on producing

well-mixed homogeneous materials. This therefore means that in-situ plant mixing
is recommended for the best control and results. However, this may be impractical
for certain applications, and lime treatment is usually only practical by mix-in-place
methods. The underlying need to produce a homogeneous mix should,
nevertheless, remain the principal requirement.
6.2.1 Treatment/ Stabilisation with Portland Cement
While a range of materials can be treated with cement, the use of high cement
content (say 5 percent or more) should be avoided for both economic and for
6-7
performance considerations. In particular higher cement contents can lead to

greater cracking potential, which may detract from the overall performance of a
pavement. For this reason it is now common practice to set both upper and lower
bounds on the strength of these materials to minimize the detrimental effects of
cracking, on the basis that the formation of closer-spaced, narrower cracks (which
occur with lower strength material) is more desirable than wider-spaced, wide
cracks (which occur for stronger cemented materials). The latter causes much
greater loss of structural integrity of the layer, as well as greater susceptibility to
reflection cracking through overlying layers, and the potential for undesirable
moisture ingress to the pavement.
As a guide, material suitable for cement treatment will normally have a low Plasticity
Index (less than 10), with a reasonably uniform grading. Materials with higher PIs
can first be treated with lime (modified), prior to cement treatment. Direct treatment
with cement of materials with higher PIs is unlikely to be satisfactory. Laboratory
trial mixes should be made, where such treatment appears to have potential, for a
range of cement contents (typically 2, 4 and 6 percent by weight), at mix moisture
contents appropriate to field mixing, and to a dry density which reflects probable
field compaction.
Seven days moist curing at 25°C should be allowed, where specimens are either
wax-sealed or wrapped in plastic cling-film then sealed in plastic bags, and kept out
of direct sunlight, to represent on site conditions. This allows the strength gain that
should be achieved in practice during site curing. Strength testing, however, should
be after a further four hours soaking of the specimens (again at 25°C), with
specimens tested direct from the waterbath to represent worst case operational
conditions. In dry regions, where the possibility of saturation of the layer is deemed
negligible, it may be more realistic to allow some drying out prior to testing (say 24
hours at 25°C, kept out of direct sunlight). Strength results should be plotted
against cement contents in order to determine the design cement content. A
reasonably well-defined relationship between strength and cement content should
be obtained, and it is advisable to plot the average strength of each set of
specimens as well as the individual results to view the overall correlation. In the
case that unexplainable or anomalous results obscure the picture, further testing
should be undertaken.
Depending on the layer application, the design cement content should ensure that
the strength from the above process should be between 0.75 and 1.5 MPa, or be
6-8
between 1.5 to 3 MPa, based on specimens of nominal height to width/diameter

ratios of 1:1. Generally, this should be based on the average strength relationship
and the cement content to achieve the mid-range values (i.e. target strengths of 1.1
MPa and 2.2 MPa respectively). Where specimens of height to width/diameter,
ratios of 2:1 are used, the corresponding ranges should be 0.6 to 1.2 MPa and 1.2
to 2.4 MPa.
The catalogue (APPENDIX C:) indicates the specific strength range which should
be used, depending on the layer application, and for some designs includes a
requirement for a 3 to 5 MPa UCS. This should be determined from the same
process. Corresponding strength bounds for specimens of height to width/ diameter
ratios of 2:1 are 2.4 to 4 MPa respectively.
Long-term durability of the material will normally be satisfactory if the parent

material is sound. It should be checked, however, if any doubt at all exists about the
mixture and a wet-dry brushing test has been found to be a suitable method.
6.2.2 Treatment with Lime
Addition of lime has been found very effective on many materials with high PIs,
normally greater than 10, which will not respond so well to cement treatment. It may
be used in order to lower the PI of materials otherwise within specification limits, as
a pre-treatment (for the same purpose) of materials that might then be treated with
cement or bitumen emulsion, to produce a suitable road building material, or as a
strengthening agent like cement.
The quality control of the lime products can differ considerably, so the engineer
must firstly confirm that both production rate and quality are satisfactory for the need
identified. Two main categories of lime can be produced: hydrated and un-hydrated
(quick) lime. Use of quicklime is strongly cautioned against due to health risks, and
its use for road building is already banned in a number of countries.
Compared with cement, the strength and stiffness gains are less marked and the
cementitious reaction is slower, so that (depending on the parent material)
measurable changes can take place over a number of years. By the same token,
the initial effect of lime addition, particularly to wet soils, is rapid and the chemical
reaction leads to increases in strength and trafficability of such materials.
6-9
Lime treatment can be used for both base and sub-base construction, adopting the
same strength limits for cemented material (as given above), and there are many
examples of its successful use throughout the African continent. In selecting design
lime content for sub-base usage, the same procedure used for Portland cement
addition as outlined above should be followed, with the major difference in the
curing time allowed. For lime, this should be 11 days moist curing instead of seven
days. Testing should then be conducted after a further four hours soaking, as
indicated for the cemented material. It should be noted that for strength control
during construction, the curing regime above is impractical, and the Engineer should
determine seven day minimum strength limits for this purpose.
6.2.3 Treatment with Bitumen Emulsion
This section will be expanded upon in Chapter 7.
6.3 Bituminous Materials
For this discussion, the term ‗bituminous materials‘ covers asphalt base and
surfacing materials, and surface dressings. This section is intended to highlight
some of the more important considerations in their application, without going into
specific detail, because it is assumed that such materials will already form part of
established road construction techniques. More complete details of these types of
1
materials can be found in RN31 or other guides.
Prime and tack coats are not specifically discussed here, but their correct use is
implicitly assumed in bituminous layer applications. The use of tar as a binder is not
specifically excluded in the following discussion, but its use is not encouraged due
to acknowledged health hazards as a cancer-causing agent. It is strongly urged
that all endeavour to phase out the use of tar and substitute an oil-based bituminous
binder.
6.3.1 Asphalt Pre-Mix Base and Surfacings
Asphalt premixes are plant-produced bituminous mixes using good quality

aggregates, hot mixed, transported to the site, and laid and compacted while still
hot. Minimum practical thicknesses, depending on the aggregate size, can be as
low as 25 mm or so. For the designs in this guide, the minimum asphalt premix
6-10
surfacing thickness is 40 mm. The mixes must be designed to provide adequate

deformation (rutting) resistance, adequate fatigue resistance, good load spreading
(high stiffness), and good durability while being sufficiently workable during
construction to allow satisfactory compaction.
In particular, the load spreading/deformation resistance requirements (necessitating

a high stiffness) can conflict with the need for fatigue resistance (usually
necessitating more flexibility). Thus the design of suitable asphalt premixes should
be regarded as a specialist function, whereby the asphalt producer should be given
a performance-related specification to meet, using his particular expertise to ensure
mix compliance.
Commonly used bituminous premixes include asphalt concretes, bitumen

macadams, rolled asphalts, and mastic asphalts. These have been developed over
the years from different backgrounds, essentially to make use of local aggregates
and to provide similar desirable performance characteristics, but differ in
composition and design approach. Where possible, therefore the Engineer should
make use of local knowledge of satisfactory performing materials, and be guided by
the asphalt producer.
Primary practical considerations for asphalt premixes include:
 Bitumen content influencing long-term durability

 Air voids
Marshall stability and flow criteria influencing performance and the exact
requirements will differ, depending on the application as either base or surfacing.
Factors which will influence selection of specific parameter values include design
trafficking level, operating temperature, incidence of overloading, channelization of
traffic, and gradient/terrain. Clearly, the harsher the operating environment,
particularly related to the abovementioned factors, the more stringent the
specification required. The Engineer should therefore draw on specialist advice for
the particular application in defining the asphalt premix specification.
6-11
6.3.2 Surface Dressing
Surface dressings (or surface treatments or seals) are produced in-situ, generally
using either penetration grade bitumen, or bitumen emulsions, as the binding and
sealing agent. Bitumen-rubber binder (in which natural and/or synthetic rubber from
old vehicle tyres mainly is blended with a bitumen binder) has also been used
successfully to provide a resilient, durable, binding agent with greater resistance to
deformations and cracking. Its use may be appropriate on more heavily trafficked
roads where vehicle overloading is significant, or where there are high deflections
measured on the pavement surface.
Hard, durable, single-sized aggregate chippings are normally used to provide a non-
skid running surface. More recently, graded aggregate seals (Otta seals) have
been shown to be highly successful under light traffic, and result in more cost-
effective use of material with a more "forgiving" construction requirement.(17)
Bitumen binders (penetration grades, cutbacks, bitumen-rubbers and polymer

modified binders) are normally applied hot, and emulsions may be applied cold,
although low water content emulsions (sometimes used on more heavily trafficked
roads) can also be gently heated to aid application. The underlying requirement is
that the binder on application should be sufficiently fluid to spread evenly and have
good adhesion with the stones. The other requirement, particularly for remedial
sealing, is for the binder to then revert to its harder, stiffer (ambient condition)
viscosity within a reasonable time, so that trafficking can start as soon as possible.
It is generally advised to use cutback bitumen, of medium to rapid curing, as this will
normally satisfactorily fulfil the requirements indicated above.. It should be noted
that it is not advisable to use cutback bitumen under hot ambient conditions. The
Engineer should in any case, draw on established local practice for the particular
conditions of application.
There are a number of different variations of surface dressings, with single surface
treatments (or spray-and-chip) being the cheapest and simplest, ranging through
double seals and more sophisticated treatments such as slurry and Cape seals.
The Cape seal is a combination of a surface dressing with a slurry seal on top which
has been found to be effective where a surface dressing alone may deteriorate too
quickly under heavier trafficking. Single surface treatments can be extremely
effective when used to reseal existing surfaced pavements, while double surface
6-12
treatments should be used on new construction. Where traffic loading conditions

are particularly severe, the use of a bitumen-rubber premix with a single surface
treatment has been found particularly effective and long-lived.
Common characteristics of all properly constructed new surface dressings are their
ability to keep out moisture, together with their inability to rectify inherent riding
quality/ roughness deficiencies from the underlying layer. In other words, surface
dressings cannot be used to remedy riding quality problems.
Practical considerations in the use of surface dressings include:
 Aggregates must be clean

 Aggregates must be sufficiently strong and durable
 Aggregates must bond with the selected binder. Use of pre-coating may
assist the bonding process
 Binders must be applied uniformly to the specified application rate
 Stones must be well shaped (not flaky or elongated) and nominally single-
sized
 Rubber-tyred rollers are preferred for good stone embedment without
crushing
The Engineer is advised to use a seal design guideline for detailed guidance on all
aspects of seal selection, design and construction including:
 Factors influencing the performance of surfacing seals

 Pre-design investigations
 Selection of appropriate surfacings
 Criteria for determination of the choice of binder
 Surface preparation/pre-treatment
 Design and construction of seals
 Recommended material specification, as well as process and acceptance
control, maintenance planning and budgeting, construction of seal work
using labour-intensive methods, life expectancy of seals, relative cost of
surfacings, selection of type of reseal and stone spread rates.
Surface dressings will deteriorate under both the effects of trafficking and time
(aging of the binder), and should be expected to require remedial action within the
design life of the road. Deterioration will normally take the form of loss of the
6-13
sealing ability through cracking, and/or the loss of texture through stone loss or
smoothing as stone gets pushed in. Normal remedial action would be application of
a new seal, as part of a periodic maintenance programme, and this should be
considered a standard requirement which should be taken into account when
selecting the pavement structure. Failure to maintain surface dressings is likely,
therefore, to lead to a reduced pavement life.
6.4 Materials Strength Characteristics
The designs given in this guide are based on the nominal material strength
classifications given in Table 6.1. For structural purposes, this provides a guide to
the probable performance, assuming that no unexpected deterioration (for example,
due to water ingress) takes place. The full specifications, given elsewhere, include a
number of other indicative properties to assure that such deterioration ought not
take place during the life of the road.
For the granular materials, only a minimum strength requirement is specified since
there are usually no disadvantages in attaining higher strengths, and long-term
performance is likely to be better in such cases. In line with foregoing discussions,
however, it should be noted that density achieved is critically important if
deformation under subsequent trafficking is to be minimised.
In contrast to just a minimum strength requirement, distinct upper and lower

strength limits are placed on cemented materials (here meaning use of a Portland
cement binder), due to the propensity of strongly cemented materials to form wide,
widely-spaced, cracks which can reflect through overlying layers and open the
pavement to moisture ingress, as well as losing structural integrity. The strength
bounds are intended to ensure that any detrimental effects from cracking of the
layer, which is virtually unavoidable in this type of material, are minimised by
ensuring closer-spaced narrow cracks.
6-14
Table 6.1 Nominal Strength Classification of Materials in the Design Catalogue

(satcc)
Layer Material Nominal strength
Base Granular Soaked CBR>80% @ 98% mod. AASHTO density
Cemented 7 day UCS*1.5 - 3.0 MPa @ 100% mod. AASHTO

density (or 1.0 - 1.5 MPa @ 97% if modified test is
followed)
Bituminous See specification
Sub-base Granular Soaked CBR>30% @ 95% mod. AASHTO density
Cemented 7 day UCS*0.75 - 1.5 MPa @ 100% mod. AASHTO

density (or 0.5 - 0.75 MPa @ 97% if modified test is
followed)
Capping/ Granular Soaked CBR>15% @ 93% mod. AASHTO density

selected
* 7 day unconfined compressive strength
Note: Samples for UCS tests are mixed and left for two hours before being
compacted into 150 mm cubes. These samples are then moist cured for seven days
and soaked for seven days in accordance with BS 1924. (For further details refer to TRL, RN
31). The UCS test shall be conducted according to BS 1924: Part 2:1990.
It should be recognised at the outset, that the use of cemented layers will only
normally be considered if there are not suitable granular materials available locally.
The first consideration is therefore to determine what local materials could be
feasibly used, and how these could meet the nominal requirements without
significant processing (such as crushing, screening and recombining, or mechanical
or chemical stabilization).
Bearing in mind that the cost of transport of materials becomes a major cost factor if
materials must be brought in to the site from a distance. It is usually cost-effective to
try to utilise the local materials, even if this would then necessitate some form of
processing. As indicated above, this may take various forms, but the choice is of
course, ostensibly a matter of cost and economy and in most cases the pavement
designer must select materials accordingly.
6-15
In the case of certain "problem" materials (requiring some form of processing to

comply with nominal specification requirements, other than crushing or screening),
the following techniques might be considered in order to improve their road-building
potential. No specific details are given here, however and the Engineer should
determine the most appropriate method based on local experience, ad hoc trials
and/or specialist advice.
6-16
7 Other Pavement Materials
7.1 Bitumen Emulsion
According to a Research and Development Occasional Paper published by FERMA

(Series 1, Maiden Edition, January 2013), Bitumen Emulsion has replaced Cut-Back
Bitumen, which is no longer be used in Nigeria.
Bitumen Emulsion is liquid asphalt cement emulsified in water. The emulsifying

agent is sometimes called the surfactant, which is composed of large molecules. All
bitumen emulsions are designed to eventually break, or revert to bitumen and water.
7.1.1 Names and Classification of Emulsions
Emulsions are classified by their ionic charges as anionic and cationic. Cationic
emulsions begin with a ―C‖. If there is no ―C‖ the emulsion is usually anionic. The
charge is important when designing an emulsion for compatibility with certain
aggregates. Cationic has more affinity with commonly used aggregates in Nigeria.
Anionic is for aggregates such as limestone.
After the charge designation, the next set of letters describes how quickly an
emulsion will set or coalesce to continuous asphalt mass. Asphalt emulsions are
also classified according to the time it takes them to ―break‖ or come out of the
suspension, and are referred to as RS (Rapid Set), MS (Medium Set), SS (Slow
Set), and QS (Quick Set).
After the classification, there is a series of numbers and letters that further describe
the characteristics of the emulsions. The number 1 or 2 designates the viscosity of
the emulsion, with the number 1 meaning lower viscosity or more fluid, and 2
meaning higher viscosity. If there is an ―h‖ or ―s‖ at the end of the name, the ―h‖
indicates a harder asphalt base and the ―s‖ a softer asphalt base.
For example, SS-1h is a slow-setting emulsion, with a lower viscosity made from a
relatively hard base asphalt.
RS emulsions break rapidly and have little or no ability to mix with an aggregate.
7-1
MS emulsions are designed to mix with aggregates, and are often called mixing-
grade emulsions. MS emulsions are used in cold recycling, cold and warm dense-
graded aggregate mixes, patch mixed and other mixes.
i. SS and QS Emulsions
SS Emulsions are designed to work with fine aggregates to allow for maximum
mixing time and extended workability. They are the most stable emulsions and can
be used in dense-graded aggregate bases, slurry seals, soil stabilisation, asphalt
surface courses and some recycling. SS emulsions can be diluted with water to
reduce their viscosity so they can be used for tack coats, for seals and dust
palliatives. SS emulsions are also used as driveway sealers.
QS emulsions work well with fine aggregates, but are designed to break faster than
SS emulsions. QS emulsions are used in micro-resurfacing and slurry seal designs.
The quick break allows for faster opening to traffic.
ii. High Float Emulsions
An ―HF‖ that precedes the setting time designation indicates a High Float emulsion.
HF emulsions are designed so the emulsifier forms a gel structure in the asphalt
residue. The thicker asphalt film allows these emulsions to perform in a wider
temperature range. High Floats are used in chip seals, cold mixes and road mixes.
iii. Polymers
A ―P‖ may be added to the set designation to show the presence of polymer in the
emulsion. An ―L‖ indicates the presence of latex polymer. For example, CRS-2P is a
cationic, rapid setting emulsion having a higher viscosity and containing some
polymer.
Polymers and latex are used to add strength, elasticity, adhesion and durability to
the pavement. Polymer asphalt emulsions can be less brittle at low temperatures, to
resist cracking and stiffer at higher temperatures to resist rutting and bleeding.
Polymers permit the application of micro surfacing in wheel path ruts and other
locations where multiple stone depths are required.
Table 7.1 shows bitumen emulsion types, characteristics and general use.
7-2
Table 7.1 Bitumen Emulsion Types, Characteristics and General Use
Type/ Percent Types – Preparation General

Grade Asphalt Percent (Min-Max) Uses
(MIN) Cutback
SS-1 57 Water 43 100-200 Tack
Tack, Slurry
SS-1H 57 Water 43 40-90 Surface
Treatment
CSS-1 57 Water 43 100-250 Tack
Tack, Slurry
CSS-1H 57 Water 43 40-90 Surface
Treatment
Bituminous
RS-1 55 Water 45 100-200
Seal Coat
Bitumious
RS-2 63 Water 37 100-200
Seal Coat
Bitumious
CRS-1 60 Water 40 100-250
Seal Coat
Bitumious
CRS-2 65 Water 35 100-250
Seal Coat
7-3
7.2 Bitumen Stabilised Materials
Considerable research has gone into bitumen stabilised materials over the last
decade. The experience in South Africa and Australia, and the guideline documents
published in this regard are considered to represent global best practice, and offer a
good reference for the use of these materials in Nigeria.
The user of this manual is referred to the following document (freely available on the
internet):
Technical Guideline: Bitumen Stabilised Materials. A guideline for the Design

and Construction of Bitumen Emulsion and Foamed Bitumen Stabilised Materials.
TG2. Second Edition. May 2009
Asphalt Academy
http://www.asphaltacademy.co.za/Documents
7.2.1 Introduction to Bitumen Stabilised Materials(16)
The following brief extract is obtained from the above document as an introduction
to Bitumen Stabilised Materials:
Bitumen Stabilised Materials are pavement materials that are treated with either
bitumen emulsion or foamed bitumen. The materials treated are normally granular
materials, previously cement-treated materials or reclaimed asphalt (RA) layers.
Where an existing pavement is recycled, old seals or asphalt surfacing is usually
mixed with the underlying layer and treated to form a new base or sub-base layer.
The quantities of residual bitumen emulsion or foamed bitumen added do not

typically exceed 3 percent by mass of dry aggregate. In many situations, active filler
in the form of cement or hydrated lime is also added to the mix. The cement content
should not exceed 1 percent, and should also not exceed the percentage of the
bitumen stabiliser, (that is the ratio of bitumen percentage to cement percentage
should always be greater than 1). If this ratio is less than one, then the material
should be considered a cement-treated material.
The addition of bitumen emulsion or foamed bitumen to produce a BSM results in

an increase in material strength and a reduction in moisture susceptibility as a result
7-4
of the manner in which the bitumen is dispersed among the finer aggregate
particles.
BSM – Emulsion BSM - Foam
With BSM-emulsion the bitumen Foamed bitumen distributes exclusively

emulsion disperses preferentially to the finer particles, producing ―spot-
amongst the finer particles, but not welds‖ of a mastic of bitumen droplets
exclusively. There is some ―painting‖ of and fines. This is illustrated in Figure
the larger particles by the bitumen 7.1.
emulsion. This is illustrated
schematically in Figure 7.1.
With bitumen emulsions, there is a

chemical bond between the bitumen and
the aggregate promoted by the
emulsifier
Figure 7.1 Aggregate and Binder Bond for BSMs
Such ―non-continuous‖ binding of the individual aggregate particles makes BSMs

different from all other pavement materials. The dispersed bitumen changes the
shear properties of the material by significantly increasing the cohesion value, whilst
effecting little change to the internal angle of friction. A compacted layer of BSM will
have a void content similar to that of a granular layer, not asphalt. BSMs are
therefore granular in nature and are treated as such during construction
7-5
7.2.2 Benefits of Bitumen Stabilisation
The primary benefits of using BSMs are:
 The increase in strength associated with bitumen treatment allows a BSM to

replace alternative high-quality materials in the upper pavement.
 Improved durability and moisture sensitivity due to the finer particles being
encapsulated in bitumen and thereby immobilised.
 Lower-quality aggregates can often be successfully used.
These materials may be used for These mixes may be produced in bulk
materials with a low fines content and stockpiled close to the point of
application, to be placed and compacted
at a later stage. This provides flexibility
in mix manufacturing.
 The typical failure mode of a BSM (permanent deformation) implies that the
pavement will require far less effort to rehabilitate when the terminal
condition is reached, compared to a material that fails due to full-depth
cracking
 BSMs are not temperature sensitive, unlike hot-mix asphalts. This is
because the bitumen is not continuous throughout the mix.
Layers of BSM-emulsion may be BSM-foam mixes can be successfully

subjected to traffic within a few hours used for treating in-situ material with a
(after the bitumen emulsion in the upper relatively high moisture content
portion of the layer breaks)
After compaction, layers of BSM-foam
have sufficient strength to be trafficked
immediately with little detrimental effect.
The complete Technical Guideline should be consulted before electing to

utilise BSMs in a pavement.
7-6
7.3 Recycled Asphalt
Broadly speaking, asphalt recycling is a process in which asphalt reclaimed from an

existing road, typically through milling of surfacing layers, is combined with new
aggregate and new binder in a mixing plant to produce a recycled asphalt material.
The reclaimed asphalt contains roughly 95% of high quality aggregate and 5% of
aged bitumen, both valuable non-renewable resources.
While several factors influence the use of RAP in asphalt pavement, the two primary
factors are economic savings and environmental benefits. RAP is a useful
alternative to virgin materials because it reduces the use of virgin aggregate and
the amount of virgin asphalt binder required in the production of HMA. The use
of RAP also conserves energy, lowers transportation costs required to obtain quality
virgin aggregate, and preserves resources. Additionally, using RAP decreases the
amount of construction debris placed into landfills and does not deplete non-
renewable natural resources such as virgin aggregate and asphalt binder.
Ultimately, recycling asphalt creates a cycle that optimizes the use of natural
resources and sustains the asphalt pavement industry.(18)
Two guiding principles of asphalt recycling are:(19)
i. Mixtures containing RAP should meet the same requirements as mixes with
all virgin materials.
ii. Mixes containing RAP should perform equal to or better than virgin mixtures.
Reclaimed/ Recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) can be used as an aggregate in the

recycling of asphalt paving mixtures in one of two ways. The first method (cold/ hot
mix plant recycling) involves a process in which RAP is combined with new
emulsified or foamed asphalt and a recycling or rejuvenating agent, possibly also
with virgin aggregate, and mixed at a central plant or a mobile plant to produce cold
mix base mixtures. The second, more common, method involves a process in which
the asphalt pavement is recycled in-place (cold/ hot in-place recycling process),
where the RAP is combined with new emulsified or foamed asphalt and/or a
recycling or rejuvenating agent, possibly also with virgin aggregate, and mixed at
the pavement site, at either partial depth or full depth, to produce a new mix end
product.(20)
7-7
7.3.1 Plant Mix Recycling
The use of processed RAP to produce conventional recycled hot mix (RHM) is the
most common type of asphalt recycling and is now considered standard asphalt
paving practice. There is abundant technical data available indicating that properly
specified and produced recycled hot mix asphalt is equivalent in quality and
structural performance to conventional hot mix asphalt in terms of rutting, ravelling,
weathering, and fatigue cracking. Recycled hot mix asphalt mixtures also generally
age more slowly, and are more resistant to the action of water than conventional hot
mix asphalt.
The maximum limit for RAP content in RHM produced in conventional hot mix
asphalt batch plants is widely considered to be 50 percent, limited by both the heat
capacity of the plants and gaseous hydrocarbon emissions. As much as 60 to 70
percent RAP may be processed in drum mix plants. Special plants based on
microwave technology have been developed to limit gaseous emissions from hot
mix asphalt production using very high RAP contents (up to 100 percent RAP), but
the cost of heating is much higher than that of conventional systems. This process
was developed in California and has only seen limited use.
Reclaimed asphalt pavement must be processed into a granular material prior to

use in hot mix applications. A typical RAP processing plant consists of a crusher,
screening units, conveyors and stacker. It is desirable to produce either a coarse or
a fine fraction of processed RAP to permit better control over input to the hot mix
plant, and better control of the mix design. The processed RAP used in recycled hot
mix asphalt should be as coarse as possible and the fines (minus 0.075 mm (No.
200 sieve)) minimized. Gentle RAP crushing (controlled crusher speed and
clearance adjustment on exit gate) is recommended to minimize the fracture of
coarse aggregate and excess fines generation.
Processing requirements for cold mix recycling are similar to those for recycled hot
mix. Recycled asphalt pavement must be processed into a granular material prior to
use in cold mix applications. A typical RAP plant consists of a crusher, screening
units, conveyors, and stackers.
7-8
7.3.2 In-Place Recycling
The use of hot in-place recycling (HIPR) has developed rapidly over the past
decade, although it is in use only on a limited basis. Simple heater-scarification
units, heat reforming systems, and special techniques have been developed for
heating, scarifying, rejuvenation, and remixing of up to 50 mm in depth of aged old
asphalt pavement, to new hot mix quality overlay in one pass. The Asphalt
Recycling and Reclaiming Association (USA) recognizes three basic HIPR
processes:
i. heater-scarification (multiple pass)

ii. repaving (single pass)
iii. Remixing.
The first two processes involve removal, rejuvenation, and replacement of the top
25 mm of the existing pavement. The remixing process involves incorporating virgin
hot mix, with the recycled paving material in a pugmill and placement to a depth of
50 mm.
In the HIPR process, the surface of the pavement must be softened with heat prior
to mechanical scarification. The HIPR process has evolved into a self-contained,
continuous train operation that includes heating, scarifying, rejuvenator addition,
mixing, and replacement.
CIPR (like hot in-place recycling [HIPR]), requires a self-contained, continuous train
operation that includes ripping or scarifying, processing (screening and
sizing/crushing unit), mixing of the milled RAP, and the addition of liquid
rejuvenators. Special asphalt-derived products such as cationic, anionic, and
polymer modified emulsions, rejuvenators and recycling agents have been
developed especially for CIPR processes. These hydrocarbon materials are
sometimes but not always, used to soften or lower the viscosity of the residual
asphalt binder in the RAP material, so that it is compatible with the newly added
binder.
7-9
7.3.3 Engineering Properties
Some of the engineering properties of RAP that are of particular interest when RAP
is incorporated into new asphalt pavements include its gradation, asphalt content,
and the penetration and viscosity of the asphalt binder.
Gradation: The aggregate gradation of processed RAP is somewhat finer than virgin
aggregate. This is due to mechanical degradation during asphalt pavement removal
and processing. Gradation requirements as per the General Specifications must be
adhered to.
Asphalt Content and Properties: The asphalt content of most old pavements will
comprise approximately 3 to 7 percent by weight and 10 to 20 percent by volume of
the pavement. Due to oxidation aging, the asphalt cement has hardened and
consequently is more viscous and has lower penetration values than the virgin
asphalt cement. Depending on the amount of time the original pavement had been
in service, recovered RAP binder may have penetration values from 10 to 80 and
absolute viscosity values at 60°C (140°F) in a range from as low as 2,000 poises to
as high 50,000 poises or greater.
7.3.4 Mix Design
The complexity of a mix design process varies with the level and type of recycling
selected. Hot Mix Recycling where 15 percent or less RAP is blended with new
aggregate and virgin asphalt requires little change from the mix design procedure
used on the virgin mix because the added RAP is not expected to significantly alter
the properties of the final mix. However, for higher RAP contents (>25%), a more
comprehensive mix design process is needed. Blend charts need to be developed
using the asphalt recovered from RAP and virgin asphalt or recycling agent to
determine the percentage of RAP that provides the desired binder and mix
properties in the final recycled pavement.(21)
Recycled Hot Mix
The use of processed RAP in hot mix asphalt pavements is now standard practice
in most jurisdictions and is referenced in ASTM D3515.
The Asphalt Institute‘s manual on mix design methods for asphalt concrete provides
a method to determine necessary mix design characteristics (such as stability, flow,
7-10
and air voids content) for either the Marshall or the Hveem mix design methods. The
final mix design proportions for the recycled hot mix paving mixture will be
determined by completing mix design testing, using standard procedures to satisfy
applicable mix design criteria.(22)
Cold Plant Mix
The specifications and design of cold plant mix recycling of asphalt pavements are
referred to in ASTM D4215.
Although there are no universally accepted mix design methods for cold mix
recycling, the Asphalt Institute recommends and most agencies use a variation of
the Marshall mix design method. General procedures include a determination of the
aggregate gradation and asphalt content of the processed RAP, determination of
the percentage (if any) of new aggregate to be added, calculation of combined
aggregate in recycled mix, selection of the type and grade of new asphalt,
determination of the asphalt demand of the combined aggregate, estimation of the
percent of new asphalt required in the mix, and adjustment of asphalt content by
field mix trials.
Hot In-Place Recycling
Mix design procedures for HIPR are not as well established as those for
conventional recycled hot mix.
The material properties of the existing asphalt pavement (to at least the depth of
scarification) should be determined prior to construction, in order to permit any
necessary adjustments to aggregate gradation to develop the required voids in
mineral aggregate (VMA), and selection of the appropriate viscosity binder. This will
require coring of the pavement to be recycled and laboratory testing of the
recovered paving samples.
Unlike conventional recycled hot mix where the RAP is combined with a significant
amount of new aggregate material (making up typically between 60 to 80 percent of
the RHM), HIPR may involve up to 100 percent recycling of the existing pavement.
Consequently, the extent to which the existing pavement can be improved or
modified is limited by the condition and characteristics of the old mix.
7-11
The amount of rejuvenating agent that can be added through HIRP is limited by the
air voids content of the existing asphalt. When the air voids content of the old
asphalt mix is too low to accommodate sufficient recycling agent for proper
rejuvenation or softening of the old asphalt binder without mix flushing, it may be
necessary to add additional fine aggregate or to beneficiate with virgin hot mix to
open up the mix or increase the air voids. The selection of the appropriate addition
(either fine aggregate or virgin hot mix), and the amount to be added, are
determined by Marshall or Hveem mix design methods.
The type of recycling or rejuvenating agent and the percentage to be added to the
binder can be estimated using procedures outlined in ASTM methods D4552 and
D4887. The recycling or rejuvenating agent, if used, should be compatible with the
recycled and new asphalt binder.
Cold In-Place Recycling
The Asphalt Institute has recommended a modified Marshall mix type procedure for
the design of CIPR mixes. Such a design initially involves obtaining samples of the
candidate pavement to determine the gradation of the aggregate, the asphalt
content, and the penetration and viscosity of the asphalt binder. Marshall specimens
are prepared at various emulsion percentages, as initially determined by calculating
the asphalt demand on the basis of aggregate gradation and deducting the
percentage of asphalt in the RAP. The optimum asphalt content can be determined
by a stability and air voids analysis, with target air voids in the 8 to 10 percent
range, or the specimens may be evaluated using indirect tensile strength or resilient
modulus testing.
It has recently been shown that the addition of virgin aggregates (20 to 25 percent)
in the CIPR process results in less voids and, consequently, less flushing, and
improved stability. The amount of recycling agent (either new asphalt or modifying
oil) also has a significant effect on the behaviour of the mix, with the ideal range of
recycling agent being somewhere between 2 and 3 percent by weight of dry RAP.
7-12
7.4 Geotextiles and Geogrids
7.4.1 Introduction
Engineers are continually faced with maintaining and developing pavement

infrastructure with limited financial resources. Traditional pavement design and
construction practices require high-quality materials for fulfilment of construction
standards. In many areas of the world, quality materials are unavailable or in short
supply. Due to these constraints, engineers are often forced to seek alternative
designs using substandard materials, commercial construction aids, and innovative
design practices. One category of commercial construction aids is geosynthetics.
Geosynthetics include a large variety of products composed of polymers and are
designed to enhance geotechnical and transportation projects. Geosynthetics
perform at least one of five functions: separation, reinforcement, filtration, drainage,
and containment.
Base reinforcement occurs when a geosynthetic is placed at the bottom or within

the base to:
i. Improve the service life and/ or

ii. Obtain equivalent performance with a reduced structural section
The mechanisms associated with the incorporation of a geosynthetic include: lateral

restraint, increased bearing capacity and/ or tension membrane.
Sub-base reinforcement occurs when a geosynthetic is placed at the sub-base/

subgrade interface to increase the workability for the construction platform over
weak subgrade and provide improved support for the roadway structural section. (23)
Geosynthetics are defined in ASTM D4439 as a planar product manufactured from

a polymeric material that is used with soil, rock, earth, or other geotechnically-
related material as an integral part of a civil engineering project, structure or system.
The source materials used to produce geosynthetics typically includes one or more
of the following polymers:
 Polypropylene
 Polyester
 Polyethylene
 Polyamide (nylon)
7-13
 PVC
AASHTO and ASTM provide specifications that address numerous properties of

geosynthetics and the test methods that are used to define the properties.(24) Most
of the primary properties and test methods for transportation projects fall under one
of the following three categories:
i. Physical properties
ii. Mechanical properties
iii. Hydraulic properties
7.4.2 Types of Geosynthetics for Highway Applications
i. Geotextiles
Geotextiles are permeable materials comprised of fibres or yarns combined into a

planar textile structure. Specifications for Geotextiles are provided in AASHTO M
288. The vast majority of geotextiles are either woven or nonwoven.
Geotextiles are used for strength, separation, drainage and filter purposes.
Properties of the geotextile will change depending on the type of the application.
ii. Geogrids
Geogrids consist of polymer mats constructed either of coated yarns or punched

and stretched polymer sheets. They are commonly used for soil reinforcement.
Geogrids are formed using a regular network of integrally connected elements with
apertures greater than 6 mm to allow interlocking with surrounding geomaterials.
Standard specifications for geogrids are provided in ASTM D 5262.
iii. Geonets
Geonets are a netlike polymeric material manufactured of integrally connected

parallel sets of ribs overlying similar sets of ribs. They are used for planar drainage
of liquids or gases.
7-14
iv. Geocomposites
Geocomposites generally consist of a geonet or a cuspated or dimpled polyethylene

drainage core wrapped in a geotextile. These are often used as edge drains, wall
drains, vertical drains and sheet drains. The drainage net/ core acts as a conduit for
water and the geotextile wrap acts as a filter keeping the net/ core clean of soil
particles.
v. Geomembranes
Geomembranes consist of impervious polymer sheets that are typically used to line
ponds or landfills or, in some cases, encapsulate moisture sensitive swelling clays
to control moisture. Various types of materials are used for geomembranes (e.g.
polyvinyl chloride (PVC), high density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP),
polyester (PET). The thickness of these materials can range from 0.5 mm to 2.5 mm
or more. Various seaming methods are used to seal multiple membrane panels
together.
vi. Geosynthetic Clay Liners (GCL)
Geosynthetic Clay Liners are manufactured hydraulic barriers consisting of sodium

bentonite clay sandwiched and bonded between two geotextiles or attached with an
adhesive to a geomembrane. GCL are manufactured in continuous sheets and are
installed by unrolling and overlapping the edges and ends of the panels. Overlaps
self-seal when the sodium bentonite hydrates. Some transportation applications of
GCLs include:
 Control of vertical or horizontal infiltration of moisture into a subgrade of

expansive soil
 Sealing of berms for wetland mitigation
 Waterproofing walls and bridge abutments
 Lining rest area waste water treatment lagoons
7-15
7.4.3 Asphalt Reinforcement
A designer considering the use of Asphalt Reinforcing should consult the following
guideline document:
Technical Guideline: Asphalt Reinforcement for Road Construction.
TG3. First Edition. November 2008
Asphalt Academy
http://www.asphaltacademy.co.za/pubart.php
The main purpose of the Guideline is to provide a synthesis of practical, state-of-

the-art approaches to the use of ARI, based both on international best practice, plus
regional knowledge and experience. The primary goal therefore is to contribute
towards a reduction in the cost of rehabilitating and thereafter, maintaining asphalt
pavement layers, leading to more sustainable road infrastructure provision in the
southern African environment.
This Guideline covers the following materials and types of reinforcement:
 All types of materials for interlayers

 Interlayers placed in or under asphalt layers
7.4.4 Additional Geosynthetics References
The following documents should be reviewed for guidance on the use and design of
geosynthetics:
 AASHTO M 288: Standard Specifications for Geotextiles

 ASTM D 4439: Standard Terminology for Geosynthetics
 Mechanically Stabilised Earth Walls and Reinforced Soil Slopes Design and
Construction Guidelines, FHWA-NHI-00-043
 Geosynthetic Design and Construction Guidelines Reference Manual,
FHWA HI-95-038
 Montana Geotechnical Manual, Montana Department of Transport
7-16
8 Pavement Design
8.1 Flexible Pavements
A pavement, like any other engineering structure, is designed to withstand certain

loads. In this case, the primary load that needs to be considered in the design is the
total traffic that will be carried by the road. In Nigeria, as in many other countries,
the standard axle load is 80 kN. The legally permissible axle load as per current
legislation is 8.2 tonnes.
It is worth noting that the current legislation has been superseded by ECOWAS
limits under a Decision of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers. The ECOWAS limits
allow a load of 13 tonnes for the load-carrying axles, but have a very low front axle
limit, resulting in similar total vehicle loads.
To give satisfactory service, a pavement must satisfy a number of structural criteria,

including:
 The subgrade must be able to sustain traffic loading without excessive

deformation; this is controlled by the vertical compressive stress or strain at
formation level.
 Bituminous materials and cement-bound materials used in road-base design
for long life must not develop fatigue cracks under the influence of traffic.
 In pavements containing a considerable amount of bituminous material, the
internal deformation of these materials must be limited; their deformation is a
function of their creep characteristics.
 The load-spreading ability of granular sub-bases and capping layers must be
adequate to provide a satisfactory construction platform.
It is often valuable to consider several methods while carrying out a pavement

design – within the applicable limitations of each respective method – in order to
obtain a wider confidence of the design. This manual contains a description of some
of these methods that would be suitable for use in Nigeria for different situations.
8-1
8.1.1 Design Catalogue
The catalogue used in this design manual is based on the fourth edition of Road
Note 31. It must be noted that the designs in this catalogue are only
appropriate for roads which are required to carry up to 30 million cumulative
equivalent standard axles per direction.
The cells of the catalogue are defined by ranges of traffic (Chapter 3) and subgrade
strength (Chapter 4) and all the materials are described in Chapter 5 and 6.
The charts are designed so that, whenever possible, the thickness of each lift of
material is obvious. Thus, all layers less than 200 mm will normally be constructed
in one layer, and all layers thicker than 300 mm will be constructed in two lifts.
Occasionally, layers are of intermediate thickness and the decision on lift will
depend on the construction plant available and the ease with which the density in
the lower levels of the lift can be achieved. The thickness of the lift need not be
identical, and it is often better to adjust the thickness according to the total required,
and the maximum particle size, by using a combination of gradings from the
General Specifications for Crushed Stone Gradings, Nigeria.
In charts 3, 4, and 7 where a semi-structural surface is defined, it is important that

the surfacing material should be flexible and the granular road-base should be of
the highest quality – preferably a crushed stone.
In traffic classes T6, T7 and T8 only granular road-bases of type GB1 or GB2
should be used. GB3 is acceptable in the lower traffic classes. For lime or cement-
stabilised materials, the charts already define the layers for which the three
categories of material be used.
The choice of chart will depend on a number of factors, but should be based on
minimising total transport costs. Other factors that will need to be considered
include:
 Likely level and timing of maintenance

 Probable behaviour of the structure
 Experience and skill of contractors and the availability of suitable plant
 Cost of different materials
 Other risk factors
8-2
The Design Catalogue is contained in APPENDIX C:.
8.1.2 Asphalt Institute Method
In the Asphalt Institute Design Method, the pavement is represented as a multi-

layered elastic system. The wheel load W is assumed to be applied through the tyre
as a uniform vertical pressure, p0, which is then spread by the different components
of the pavement structure and eventually applied to the subgrade as a much lower
stress p1. Experience, established theory and test data are then used to evaluate
two specific stress-strain conditions. Thickness design charts were developed,
based on criteria for maximum tensile strains at the bottom of the asphalt layer, and
maximum vertical compressive strains at the top of the subgrade layer.
Design Procedure
The principle adopted in the design procedure is to determine the minimum

thickness of the asphalt layer that will adequately withstand the vertical compressive
strain at the surface of the subgrade, and the horizontal tensile strain at the bottom
of the asphalt layer. Design charts have been prepared for a range of traffic loads.
The procedure consists of five main steps:
 Select or determine input data

 Select surface and base materials
 Determine minimum thickness required for input data
 Evaluate feasibility of staged construction and prepare stage construction
plan if necessary
 Carry out economic analysis of alternative designs and select the best
design
Step 1 Design Inputs
Design Inputs in this method are:
- Traffic characteristics – design traffic (Chapter 3)

- Subgrade engineering properties (Chapter 4)
8-3
Conversion of CBR to Resilient Modulus (Mr) is done as follows:
Mr(MPa) = 10.342 * CBR..........................................................Equation 8-1

Mr(lb/in.2) = 1 500 * CBR...........................................................Equation 8-2
(The above conversion factors should be used only for materials that can be
classified under the Unified Classification System as CL, CH, ML, SC, SM
and SP, or when the resilient modulus is less than 30 000 lb/in.2. For
materials with higher values, direct measurement is recommended).
- Subbase and Base Engineering Properties
Step 2 Surface and Base Materials
The designer is free to select either an asphalt concrete surface or an emulsified

asphalt concrete surface, along with an asphalt concrete base, an emulsified
asphalt base, or an untreated aggregate base and sub-base for the underlying
layers. This will depend on the material that is economically available.
The Asphalt Institute recommends certain grades of asphalt cement that should be
used for different temperature conditions. Selection is on the basis of its ability to
coat aggregates at the given temperatures.
Mean annual temperatures in Nigeria are generally high, with temperatures

ranging between 23°C - 31°C at the coast, and getting as high as 44°C inland.
60/70 pen and 40/50 pen bitumen is therefore recommended for use in Nigeria.
Step 3 Minimum Thickness Requirements
The AI Method has design charts for the following types of pavements:
 Asphalt Concrete Surface and Emulsified Asphalt Base
These pavements have asphalt concrete as surface material and emulsified asphalt
as the base material. Three mix types of emulsified asphalt are used in this design
and they are defined as:
Type I Emulsified asphalt mixes made with processed, dense-graded

aggregates
8-4
Type II Emulsified asphalt mixes made with semi-processed, crusher-run,

pit-run, or bank-run aggregate
Type III Emulsified asphalt mixes made with sandy or silty sands
Table 8.1 shows the recommended minimum thickness of asphalt concrete over
types II and III emulsified asphalt bases. For pavements constructed with type I
emulsified asphalt base, a surface treatment will be adequate. The depth of the
emulsified asphalt base is determined as the difference between the total thickness
(asphalt concrete surface and emulsified asphalt base), as obtained from the design
charts and the minimum required thickness of the asphalt concrete as obtained from
Table 8.1.
Table 8.1 Minimum Asphalt Thickness for Type I & II Base
Traffic Level ESALs Type II and Type III
(mm)
104 50
105 50
106 75
107 100
> 107 130
 Asphalt Concrete Surface and Untreated Aggregate Base
These pavements consist of a layer of asphalt concrete over a layer of untreated

aggregate base and subbase courses. The design charts are given for different
base thicknesses and are based on the quality requirements for base and subbase
materials given in Table 8.2
8-5
Table 8.2 Base and Sub-base Requirements
Parameter Requirements
Sub-base Base
CBR, minimum 20 80
Liquid Limit, 25 25
maximum
Plasticity Index, 6 NP
maximum
Passing No. 200 12 7

Sieve, maximum
The Asphalt Institute also recommends that the base course be not less than 150
mm thick.
Table 8.3 gives the minimum recommended thicknesses for the asphalt concrete
surface over the untreated aggregate base. The values depend on the design
ESALs. In using the design charts, minimum thicknesses should not be extrapolated
into higher traffic regions.
Table 8.3 Minimum Asphalt Thickness over Untreated Base
Traffic ESALs Traffic Condition Minimum

Thickness of
Asphalt Concrete
104 Lightly trafficked 75 mm

rural roads
> 104 but < 106 Medium truck traffic 100 mm
> 106 Medium to Heavy 125 mm

truck traffic
The design charts for both types of pavements are contained in APPENDIX C:.
8-6
8.1.3 Mechanistic Design
In the design of flexible pavements, the pavement structure is usually considered as

a multi-layered elastic system, with the material in each layer characterised by
certain physical properties that may include the modulus of elasticity, the resilient
modulus, and the Poisson ratio. It is usually assumed that the subgrade layer is
infinite in both the horizontal and vertical directions, whereas the other layers are
finite in the vertical direction and infinite in the horizontal direction. The application
of a wheel load causes a stress distribution, which can be represented as shown in
Figure 8.1. The maximum vertical stresses are compressive and they occur directly
under the wheel load. These decrease with increase in depth from the surface.
Figure 8.1 Wheel Load Distribution in Pavement Layers
The maximum horizontal stresses also occur directly under the wheel load but can
be either tensile or compressive as shown in Figure 8.2. The load and pavement
thickness determine whether the horizontal compressive stresses will occur above
or below the neutral axis.
8-7
Figure 8.2 Critical Strains in Pavement Layers
The temperature distribution within the pavement structure, as shown in Figure 8.3
also has an effect on the magnitude of stresses.
Figure 8.3 Example of Daily Temperature Variation in a Road Pavement
The strain criteria are those that generally limit the horizontal and vertical strains
below those that will cause excessive cracking and excessive permanent
deformation. These criteria are considered in terms of repeated load applications
since it is known that the accumulated repetitions of the traffic loads are of
8-8
significant importance to the development of cracks and permanent deformation of

the pavement.
8.1.4 Mechanistic Design Process
Assume Pavement Configuration

Input:
(Trial Pavement)  Material
Properties
 Axle Load
Compute Pavement Responses Using

Structural Models
Input:
 Failure Criteria
 Reliability
Compute Allowable Number of
Repetitions of Standard Axle Using
Distress Models
Find Expected Number of

Repetitions of Standard Axle on
Design Lane from Traffic Analysis
NO Design
Satisfactory?
Final Design
Figure 8.4 Flow Diagram of Mechanistic Design Procedure
1. Assume Pavement Configuration
This is done from one of the preceding methods. The design catalogue is often a
good starting point to select a trial pavement.
2. Compute Pavement Response
A computer package is used to model the trial pavement to determine critical

distress parameters. Table 8.4 shows the critical distress parameters that must be
determined for each material type.
8-9
Table 8.4 Critical Distress Parameters
Several computer programs are available that can be used to compute the critical
stresses and strains.
ELSYM5 is one such easily-available programme and is recommended for use.
3. Compute Allowable ESALs Using Distress Models
The Nigerian Empirical Mechanistic Pavement Analysis and Design System

(NEMPADS) is a framework for mechanistic-empirical pavement design for tropical
climate in Nigeria.
Murana and Olowosulu (2012) evaluated nine fatigue distress models, and seven
rutting models for the Nigerian environment.(25)
8-10
Table 8.5 Distress Models Evaluated
S/No Models Fatigue equation

−3.291 −0.854
1 AI model 𝑁𝑓 = 0.0796 𝜀𝑡 𝐸
−5.671 −2.363
2 Shell model 𝑁𝑓 = 0.0685 𝜀𝑡 𝐸
3 Belgian Road 𝑁𝑓 = 4.92 × 10−14 𝜀𝑡 −4.76
Research Center
−3.291 −0.854
4 UC-Berkeley 𝑁𝑓 = 0.0636 𝜀𝑡 𝐸
Modified AI model
5 Transport and Road 𝑁𝑓 = 1.66 × 10−10 𝜀𝑡 −4.32
Research Laboratory
6 Illinois model 𝑁𝑓 = 5 × 10−6 𝜀𝑡 −3.0
−5.0 −2.66
7 U.S. Army model 𝑁𝑓 = 478.63 𝜀𝑡 𝐸
8 Minnesota model 𝑁𝑓 = 2.83 × 10−6 𝜀𝑡 −3.206
−3.565 −1.4747
9 Indian model 𝑁𝑓 = 0.1001 𝜀𝑡 𝐸
Table 8.6 Rutting Models Evaluated
S/No Models Rutting equation
1 Iranian model 𝑁𝑟 = 1.365 × 10−9 𝜀𝑣 −4.477
2 Indian model 𝑁𝑟 = 2.56 × 10−8 𝜀𝑣 −4.5337
3 Minnesota model −3.949

15
1
𝑁𝑟 = 5.5 × 10
𝜀𝑣 × 106
4 Federal Ministry of 4.7037

1
Works and Housing 𝑁𝑟 = 1.66 × 10−9
𝜀𝑣
5 Original shell model 4.92

−10
1
𝑁𝑟 = 2.3 × 10
𝜀𝑣
6 Asphalt institute 3.5714

0.0105
𝑁𝑟 =
𝜀𝑣
7 Updated shell model 3.5714

0.0105
𝑁𝑟 =
𝜀𝑣
8-11
Where
Nf = Number of allowable 8200 kg ESAL applications,
εt = Horizontal tensile strain at the bottom of the asphalt layer
E = dynamic modulus of the asphalt concrete in PSI.
Nr = Number of allowable 8, 200 kg ESAL application.
εv = Vertical compressive strain at the top of the subgrade
The study concludes:
 Transport and Road Research Laboratory pavement performance model for

fatigue‘s equation is a good predictor for ‗NEMPADS‘ fatigue when
considering high level of reliability and conservation.
𝑵𝒇 = 𝟏. 𝟔𝟔 × 𝟏𝟎−𝟏𝟎 𝜺𝒕 −𝟒.𝟑𝟐
......................................................................................... Equation
8-3
 The Indian equation should be used as a predictor for ‗NEMPADS‘

pavement performance model for rutting for the facts that the environmental
conditions of Nigeria is similar to that of India
𝑵𝒓 = 𝟐. 𝟓𝟔 × 𝟏𝟎−𝟖 𝜺𝒗 −𝟒.𝟓𝟑𝟑𝟕
...................................................................................Equation
8-4
8-12
4. Determine design traffic
Chapter 3 describes how design traffic is calculated. Overloading should be taken

into consideration
5. Compare design traffic with capacity of structure as per ‘3’
Using the proposed distress models, the number of ESALs that the trial pavement
can carry is compared with the actual design traffic
If the design traffic is greater than the capacity of the trial pavement, a new trial
pavement is selected and the process repeated. The new trial pavement should
have thicker layers or stronger material.
The process is repeated until a suitable pavement is found which has a capacity
equal to or greater than the design traffic.
Note: in order to minimise costs, the capacity of the pavement selected should not
exceed the design traffic by much – the pavement structure should be optimised.
8-13
8.2 Rigid Pavements
8.2.1 Portland Cement Association (PCA) Method
The designer is referred to the publication:
Thickness Design for Concrete Highway and Street Pavements, Portland

Cement Association, 1984 (Reprinted 1995).
The design procedures given in this text apply to the following types of concrete
pavements:
 Plain Pavements: constructed without reinforcing steel or doweled joints.

Load transfer at the joints is achieved by aggregate interlock between the
cracked faces below the joint saw cut or groove.
 Plain Dowelled Pavements: built without reinforcing steel, however, smooth
steel dowel bars are used as load-transfer devices at each contraction joint
and relatively short joint spacings are used to control cracking.
 Reinforced Pavements: contain reinforcing steel and dowel bars for load
transfer at the contraction joints. The pavements are constructed with longer
joint spacing than used for unreinforced pavements. Between the joints one
or two transverse cracks will usually develop. These are held tightly together
by the reinforcing steel and good load transfer is provided.
 Continuously Reinforced Pavements: built without contraction joints. Due
to the relatively heavy steel reinforcement in the longitudinal direction, these
pavements develop transverse cracks at close intervals. A high degree of
load transfer is developed at these crack faces held tightly together by steel
reinforcement.
8-14
9 Overlay Design
9.1 Introduction
Numerous overlay design methods are available all over the world. Here a brief
introduction is made to three methods, indicating their main characteristics,
assumptions and recommendations for their use in different environments.
9.2 The Asphalt Institute Method
9.2.1 Principles of the Method
The method was first published in 1969 by the Asphalt Institute. (26) The design
manual covers both geometric and structural improvements of pavements in order
to increase the traffic capacity, load carrying ability and the safety of the road user.
The manual identifies the following causes of a structurally inadequate pavement:
• Increase in traffic
• Change in the pavement material properties
• Inadequate design procedures.
Different causes of the pavement distress problem are identified, but no distinction
is made between the recommended approaches to evaluation and rehabilitation
design of any pavement. Two empirically derived procedures for the evaluation of
structural adequacy and overlay design are given. These procedures are presented
as applicable to all flexible pavements and any cause and mechanism of distress.
The recommended procedures are based on the pavement component analysis and
pavement response analysis (surface deflection) approaches. Although seemingly
different, both the recommended procedures are empirically derived and aim at
providing adequate protection to the sub-grade of the pavement. In this case, the
pavement rehabilitation problem is approached in a similar way to well-known
empirical methods used for the design of new pavements, such as the CBR
approach. Some subjective use of the existing condition of the pavement is made in
the pavement component analysis procedure.
9-1
The main characteristics of the Asphalt Institute method are summarized in Table
9.1
Table 9.1 Main Characteristics of Asphalt Institute Method
9-2
9.3 Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL) Surface Deflection

Method
The pavement evaluation and rehabilitation design method developed at the

Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL) was published in 1978. (27) The
method is empirically derived and uses surface deflection as a design parameter. It
was based on many years of research and experimental work on roads dating back
to 1956.The main objective of the method is to provide a system for the design of
pavement-strengthening measures that will enable the engineer to:
• Predict the remaining life of a pavement before a critical condition is reached

• Design the thickness of overlay required to extend the life of the pavement to
carry a given design traffic.
The method is based on the characterisation of the structural condition of the

pavement through the measurement of surface deflection. Although all
measurements were based on deflections under a dual wheel single axle load of 6
350 kg moving at creep speed, this can easily be adapted to deflections measured
under a 80 kN (8 175 kg) dual wheel single axle load. The design manual pays
special attention to the analytical procedures and the correct measurements,
adjustment and use of pavement surface deflections in the various design charts.
The method also takes into account and distinguishes between deflections
measured on the main types of road base. The recommended method entails the
following:
i. measurement of the surface deflection of the pavement

ii. adjustment of the measured deflection
iii. estimation of past, present and future expected traffic on the pavement
iv. prediction of the residual bearing capacity of the pavement before reaching a
critical condition
v. design of an overlay to increase the bearing capacity of the pavement to
carry the design traffic
vi. matching the overlay design to variations in the structural condition of the
pavement.
9-3
The main characteristics of the TRRL deflection method are summarised in

Table 9.2
Table 9.2 Main Characteristics of the TRRL Surface Defection Method
9-4
9.4 The Shell Overlay Design Method
The Shell overlay design method was developed at the Koninklijke Shell Laboratory
in Amsterdam, from the Shell design procedure for new pavements. The charts
originally developed for the design of new pavements are also used for the design
of asphalt overlays for existing pavements. Non-destructive test (NDT) methods are
used to assess the properties of the existing pavement.(28)
In the Shell method, a number of design charts are used to determine the required
thickness of overlays for the rehabilitation of a pavement. The design charts were
derived from the results of analyses of pavements by means of the theory of linear
elasticity. In these analyses, the pavement was assumed to be adequately
represented by a three-layered model consisting of a top layer (surfacing) of
asphaltic material, a middle layer (base) of granular or cementitious material and a
bottom layer (sub-grade) of semi-infinite dimensions as shown in Figure D492. In this
model the pavement materials are characterised by the following properties:
• Surfacing layer - the effective modulus of deformation (E1 value), a

Poisson's ratio (v1) and a layer thickness (h1),
• Base layer - the effective modulus of deformation (E2 value), a Poisson's
ratio (v2) and a layer thickness (h2), and
• Sub-grade layer - the effective modulus of deformation (E3 value) and a
Poisson's ratio (v3) (the layer thickness is assumed to be infinite).
In the development of the method, the BISAR computer program was used to
calculate the stresses and strains in pavement structures. The results obtained were
used to compile the design charts. The primary design criteria used for the
compilation of these charts were:
• The compressive vertical strain in the surface of the sub-grade which

controls deformation of the sub-grade material
• The horizontal tensile strain in the asphalt layer which controls cracking of
the asphalt layer
• The tensile stress of strain in any cementitious base layer which controls
cracking of the cementitious layer
9-5
In the evaluation of pavements using the derived charts, fixed values are assumed
for the Poisson's ratios for all the layers. Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD)
measurements, material tests and available data are used to determine the other in-
situ properties. The maximum deflection and the shape of the deflection bowl, as
measured by the FWD, are used to determine the sub-grade modulus (E3) and the
effective thickness of the asphalt layer (h1). The deflection bowl is characterised by
the ratio (Qr) of the deflection at a distance ‗r‘ from the load (sr) to the deflection
under the centre of the test load (so).
The distance r should preferably be such that Qr ~ 0,5. The design charts ensure
that the strains (mentioned above) are limited to such an extent that virtually no
cracking will occur in the structure, and that there will be no excessive permanent
deformation in the sub-grade during the design life of the pavement.
Practical constrains made it impossible to develop design charts for every

conceivable pavement configuration. Hence the method will often require design
charts to be interpolated for overlay design. The use of such charts eliminates the
need to calculate the critical parameters of the pavement through computer
simulation of the pavement response.
Although the design approach is based on the abovementioned strain criteria, the
Shell method also provides for the testing of the expected permanent deformation in
the asphalt layer, and for checking of the maximum overlay thickness. Provision is
made to include climatic variations (temperature changes) in the design of the
overlay.
Procedures included in the method take into account the variations in asphalt mix
properties available for overlays, and assess their differences in comparison with
the asphalt on the existing pavement, and their influence on the expected future
behaviour of the rehabilitated pavement.
The main characteristics of the Shell overlay design method are summarised in
Table 9.3.
9-6
Table 9.3 Main Characteristics of Shell Overlay Design Method
9-7
10 Practical Considerations
10.1 Materials Availability
Bearing in mind that the cost of transport of materials becomes a major cost factor if
materials must be brought in to the site from a distance, it is usually cost-effective to
try to utilise the local materials even if this would then necessitate some form of
processing. This may take various forms, but the choice is, of course, ostensibly a
matter of cost and economy and in most cases the pavement designer must select
materials accordingly.
10.2 Terrain
The performance of a road in otherwise similar conditions can be influenced by

terrain, in that rolling or mountainous terrain (in which significant grades are
encountered) tends to lead to significantly more traffic-related loading on surfacings
and bases. This is fairly commonly observed on relatively heavily trafficked roads
(say, class T5 and higher, carrying more than 3 million ESAs), where surface
deterioration and rutting deformation occurs. Routes on which overloaded trucks
are common (axle loads of 10 tonnes and more) are especially prone.
In such situations, it is imperative that compaction of layers is controlled extremely

well and ideally to more than minimum standards. It is also advised that the
surfacing layer is resistant to deformation and of course, well-bonded to the base to
avoid early failure due to debonding and traffic-induced slippage at the interface.
A bituminous base combined with a hot mix asphalt surfacing can be (and is often)
used to provide a stable, relatively stiff, deformation resistant backbone, which can
also mask possible compaction deficiencies in the underlying layers, which may
occur due to difficult working conditions. There is considerable merit in looking at
the use of special bituminous binders which may help inhibit rutting due to heavy
vehicles, and the guidance of the bitumen supplier should be sought in the first
instance.
An alternative approach, not specifically covered in this guide, is to consider the

possibility of a concrete base. This type of construction can be effective for these
10-1
conditions, and can be laid by labour-enhanced methods where conventional large-

scale construction equipment is unsuitable.
It is also commonly observed that moisture-induced problems, leading to possible

local premature failures, occur in cuts and on sag curves (dips), emphasising the
need for particular attention to drainage provision and maintenance in such
locations.
10.3 Vehicle Overloading
Incidences of vehicle overloading can have a significant negative impact on the

performance of a road, and the effects are observed especially by premature
failures of surfacing layers (excessive rutting, bleeding, loss of surface texture, and
ravelling being prevalent as early indicators). Naturally, every effort should be made
to limit the amount of overloading (illegal loading), but it is recognised that current
controls may not always be sufficient.
While the design process should account for the amount of heavy vehicle axle loads
in determining the design traffic loading, the specific effects of the very heavy
abnormal axle loads on the pavement must be considered in finalising the design.
In situations where overloading is likely to occur, special attention must be given to

the quality and strength of all the pavement layers during construction. Amongst
other measures, there may be justification in increasing the specification CBR
requirements for granular layers, in increasing the base and sub-base layer
thicknesses, and in specifying special bitumen binders and asphalt mixtures, such
as stone mastic asphalts, which are more resistant to deformation.
The specific measures that the Engineer may deem necessary should ideally be
based on either proven local practice or at least specialised advice/analysis in order
to maintain a well-balanced structure.
10-2
10.4 Subgrade California Bearing Ratio (CBR) less than two per cent
In these cases, which must be treated according to the specific situation, some of
the possible approaches include:
 In- situ treatment with lime (for clayey materials)

 Removal and replacement with better quality material
 Use of geofabrics
 Construction of a pioneer layer (for highly expansive material and marshy
areas) or rockfill
These conditions are often encountered in low-lying, wet and swampy areas, and
treatment should ideally be based on past proven practice for similar conditions.
The use of geofabrics, usually in accordance with specialist advice from the
manufacturer, can be extremely effective in situations where other approaches are
inappropriate (for example, where better quality materials are either not readily
available, or would tend to displace downwards).
When appropriately treated, the design for the overlying pavement can then be
based on the re-evaluated subgrade support condition.
10.5 Use of the Dynamic Cone Penetrometer (DCP)
The DCP is probably the single most effective testing device for road construction,
being a simple, rapid and direct indicator of material condition that can be used from
initial site survey through to construction control. Its use within the region is already
established, and this section is intended only to highlight the main aspects of its
effective usage.
During initial field survey, the DCP can aid in determining the existing subgrade
condition, in conjunction with normal indicator and CBR tests, and therefore in
delineating uniform sections for design. Similarly, during construction the DCP can
be used to monitor uniformity of layers, particularly in terms of in- situ density. It can
also be used as a design tool in its own right and a method has been developed for
5
such application .
10-3
While the DCP is commonly used to estimate in-situ CBRs from nominal penetration
rates (mm/blow), this technique should only be used when correlations have been
specifically developed for the DCP apparatus used. It is known that several
different types of DCP are commonly used, having different cone types and dynamic
energy input. If used with the wrong CBR correlations, incorrect estimates of CBR
will be obtained. Since changes in moisture content will influence the rate of
penetration for a given density, the Engineer must ensure that this factor is taken
into account if the DCP is used for CBR estimation.
DCP (Dynamic Cone Penetrometer) testing shall be carried out at intervals of 200
meters to directly measure the field CBR strength of the subgrade. Continuous
measurements can be made down to a depth of approximately 1000mm or when
extension shafts are used to a recommended maximum depth of 2 meters. The
interval of test pits for CBR shall not be more than 1.0 km. Correlations have been
established between measurement with the DCP and CBR, so that results can be
interpreted and compared with CBR specifications for pavement design.
Alternatively, and especially for control monitoring, the penetration rate can be used
in its own right as a compliance check. For example, the Engineer can determine
an acceptable maximum DCP penetration rate directly from in- situ measurements
on areas (of subgrade or constructed granular layers) deemed to meet the required
field strength and density requirement. The DCP can then be used as a process
control tool to check that the field compaction is satisfactory to the specified depth.
Where penetration rates exceed the acceptable specified maximum value, further
compaction is indicated.
The DCP should not be used specifically, however, as the basis for determining
construction acceptance (i.e. for density or strength compliance with the
specification requirements); this should still be undertaken using the appropriate
standard test methods.
Consequently, the use of the DCP during the whole construction process from initial
field survey, through to rapid compliance checking, can significantly reduce the
need for some of the more onerous testing, and its use is strongly recommended.
10-4
10.6 Performance Records
The experience and judgment of the highway engineer is based to a large degree
on the performance of pavements in the immediate area of his jurisdiction. Past
performance is a valuable guide of conditions and service requirements for the
reference pavements, when the conditions are comparable to those for the designs
under study. Caution is urged however, against reliance on short-term performance
records, and on long term records of pavements which may have been subjected to
much lighter loadings for a large portion of their present life.
Climate may have a significant effect on pavement performance, and must be

carefully considered in evaluation performance records from other regions.
10.7 Secondary Factors
The following factors may also influence pavement selection:
 Traffic safety
 Availability of local materials
 Adjacent existing pavements
 Stage construction
 Conservation of aggregate
 Other construction considerations
10.8 Skid Resistance
Skid resistance is the force developed when a tire that is prevented from rotating
slides along the pavement surface (Highway Research Board, 1972). Skid
resistance is an important pavement evaluation parameter because:
 Inadequate skid resistance will lead to higher incidences of skid related

accidents.
 Most agencies have an obligation to provide users with a roadway that is
"reasonably" safe.
 Skid resistance measurements can be used to evaluate various types of
materials and construction practices.
10-5
Skid resistance depends on a pavement surface's microtexture and macrotexture

(Corley-Lay, 1998). Microtexture refers to the small-scale texture of the pavement
aggregate component (which controls contact between the tire rubber and the
pavement surface) while macrotexture refers to the large-scale texture of the
pavement as a whole due to the aggregate particle arrangement (which controls the
escape of water from under the tire and hence the loss of skid resistance with
increased speed) (AASHTO, 1976). Skid resistance changes over time. Typically it
increases in the first two years following construction as the roadway is worn away
by traffic and rough aggregate surfaces become exposed, then decreases over the
remaining pavement life as aggregates become more polished.
Skid resistance is generally quantified using some form of friction measurement

such as a friction factor or skid number.
Friction factor (like a coefficient of friction): f = F/L
Skid number: SN = 100(f)
where: F = frictional resistance to motion in plane of interface
L = load perpendicular to interface
It is not correct to say a pavement has a certain friction factor because friction
involves two bodies, the tires and the pavement, which are extremely variable due
to pavement wetness, vehicle speed, temperature, tire wear, tire type, etc. Typical
friction tests specify standard tires and environmental conditions to overcome this.
In general, the friction resistance of most dry pavements is relatively high; wet
pavements are the problem. The number of accidents on wet pavements are twice
as high as dry pavements (but other factors such as visibility are involved in addition
to skid resistance). Table 10.1 shows some typical Skid Numbers (the higher the
SN, the better).
Table 10.1: Typical Skid Numbers(29)

Skid Number Comments
< 30 Take measures to correct
≥ 30 Acceptable for low volume roads
31 - 34 Monitor pavement frequently
≥ 35 Acceptable for heavily travelled roads
10-6
Skid testing may occur in a number of ways:
 The locked wheel tester
 The spin up tester
 Surface texture measurement
10-7
11 Bibliography
1. Committee of Land Transport Officials (COLTO). Technical Recommendations

for Highways (TRH4): Structural Design of Flexible Pavements for Interurban and
Rural Roads. Pretoria : Department of Transport, South Africa, 1996. TRH4.
2. Transport Research Laboratory. Overseas Road Note 5: A Guide to Road

Project Appraisal. Glasgow : Department For International Development (DFID),
2005. R8132.
3. —. Overseas Road Note 40: A Guide to Axle Load Surveys and Traffic Counts for
Determining Traffic Loading on Pavements. Crowthorne, Berkshire : Department for
International Development, 2004. ORN40.
4. Transportation Research Board. Highway Capacity Manual . Washington DC :

Transportation Research Board, 2010. HCM2010.
5. —. Traffic Data Collection, Analysis, and Forecasting for Mechanistic Pavement

Design. Washington D.C. : Transportation Research Board, 2005. NCHRP Report
538.
6. Transport Research Laboratory. Overseas Road Note 31: A Guide to the

Structural Design of Bitumen-Surfaced Roads in Tropical and Sub-Tropical
Countries. Berkshire : Transport Research Laboratory, 1993. ORN31.
7. Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). Draft Code of Practice
for the Rehabilitation of Road Pavements. Pretoria : Southern Africa Transport and
Communications Commission, 2001.
8. Omange, G N, Nnama, S K and Aitsebaomo, F O. Engineering Properties of

Subgrade Soils in Imo State. Lagos : Nigerian Building and Road Research
Institute, 1988. NBRRI Report No. 13.
9. Omange, G N, et al. Engineering Properties of Subgrade Soils in the Federal

Capital Territory of Nigeria. Lagos : Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute,
1987. NBRRI Report No. 15.
11-1
10. Omange, G N and Aitsebaomo, F O. Engineering Properties of Subgrade Soils

in Bendel (Delta and Edo) State of Nigeria. Lagos : Nigerian Building and Road
Research Institute, 1989. NBRRI Report No.18.
11. Committee of Land Transport Officials (COLTO). Construction of Road

Embankments. Pretoria : Department of Transport, South Africa, 1982. TRH9.
12. The Prediction of Heave from the Plasticity Index and the Percentage Clay
Fraction. Van der Merwe, D H. 6, Pretoria : Civil Engineer South Africa, 1964, Vol.
6, pp. 103-107.
13. Expansive Roadbed Treatment for Southern Africa. Weston, D J. Denver :

Proc. 4th International Conference on Expansive Soils, 1980.
14. Booth, A R. Collapse Settlement in Compacted Soils. Pretoria : Centre for

Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), 1977. Research Report 324.
15. Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute. Engineering Properties of

Black Cotton Soils of Nigeria and Related Pavement Design. Lagos : Nigerian
Building and Road Research Institute, 1983. NBRRI Report No.1.
16. Asphalt Academy. Technical Guideline: Bitumen Stabilised Materials. A

guideline for the Design and Construction of Bitumen Emulsion and Foamed
Bitumen Stabilised Materials. Pretoria : Asphalt Academy, 2009. TG2.
17. Botswana Roads Department . Design, Construction and Maintenance of Otta

Seals. Gaborone : Ministry of Works, Transport and Communication, 1999.
Guideline No. 1.
18. Copeland, Audrey. Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement in Asphalt Mixtures: State of

the Practice. Virginia : USDOT: Federal Highway Administration, 2011. FHWA-HRT-
11-021.
19. West, Randy C. Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement Management: Best Practices.

Auburn, Alabama : National Centre for Asphalt Technology, 2010.
20. United States Department of Transport: Federal Highway Administration.

User Guidelines for Waste and Byproduct Materials in Pavement Construction.
Federal Highway Administration. [Online] 23 04 2012. [Cited: 12 05 2013.]
11-2
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/publications/research/infrastructure/structures/97148/rap13
2.cfm. FHWA-RD-97-148.
21. Santucci, Larry. Recycling Asphalt Pavements - A Strategy Revisited.

Richmond, California : Technology Transfer Programme, Institute of Transportation
Studies, University of California Berkeley, 2007. Number 8.
22. Asphalt Institute. Mix Design Methods for Asphalt Concrete and Other Hot-Mix
Types. Lexington, Kentucky : Asphalt Institute, 1993. Manual Series No. 2.
23. Geosynthetics Materials Association. Geosynthetics in Pavement Systems

Applications. s.l. : AASHTO, 1998.
24. Montana Department of Transport. Montana Geotechnical Manual. Montana :

Montana Department of Transport, 2008.
25. Evaluation of Fatigue Models For Mechanistic-Empirical Design of Flexible

Pavements. Murana, A A and Olowosulu, A T. 74, s.l. : World of Engineering and
Pure and Applied Science, 2012, Vol. 2. ISSN 2249-0582.
26. The Asphalt Institute. Asphalt Overlays and Pavement Rehabilitation. USA :
The Asphalt Institute, 1969. Asphalt Institute Manual (MS-17).
27. Kennedy, CK, Fevre, P and Clarke, C S. Pavement Deflection Equipment for
Measurement in the United Kingdom. Berkshire : TRRL, 1978. TRRL Laboratory
Report 834.
28. Shell International Petroleum Company Limited. Shell Pavement Design

Manual - asphalt pavement and overlays for road traffic. London : s.n., 1978.
29. Survey of State Practices to Control Skid Resistance on Hot-Mix Asphalt

Concrete Pavements. Jayawickrama, P W, Prasanna, R and Senadheera, S P.
Volume 1536 / 1996, s.l. : Transportation Research Board of the National
Academies, 18 01 2007, Transportation Research Record: Journal of the
Transportation Research Board, pp. 52-58.
11-3
Appendices
APPENDIX A: Nigerian Traffic and Axle Load
Study
Nigerian Traffic AND axle Load Study
A 1.1 Background
The data used in this section is obtained from an extensive survey that was carried out as part of
an axle-load study completed in 2008.
The surveys provide valuable information about the traffic loading on the Nigerian Federal Road
Network.
A key finding of the study was that overloading is rife in Nigeria, which has serious implications on
the performance and durability of pavements. This will be incorporated into this guideline
document.
A 1.2 Representative Traffic Flows on Federal Road Network
Table A.1 shows the percentage of heavy vehicles on the Federal Road network. This is useful for
the estimation of traffic on roads where detailed information is unavailable.
Table A.1: Percentage Heavy Vehicles on Road Network

Major Federal Road ADT Heavy Vehicles % Heavy
Link /Day Vehicles
Lagos - Shagamu 40 000 5 000 13%
Shagamu - Benin City 22 000 3 100 14%
Shagamu - Ibadan 8 900 2 800 31%
Benin - Warri - Port 5 000 350 7%
Harcourt
Port Harcourt - Aba 18 000 2 200 12%
Aba - Enugu 12 000 2 000 17%
Aba - Nlagu 8 900 2 000 22%
Nlagu - Calabar 4 500 1 000 22%
Enugu - Nkalagu 6 000 1 200 20%
Nkalagu - Mfom 4 000 500 13%
Benin City - Onitsha 14 500 2 500 17%
Onitsha - Enugu 18 000 1 500 8%
Benin City - Lokoja 7 300 1 000 14%
Ibadan - Ilorin 10 000 2 500 25%
Ilorin - Jebba 5 000 2 200 44%
Mokwa-Bida 4 500 1 500 33%
A
Major Federal Road ADT Heavy Vehicles % Heavy
Link /Day Vehicles
Bida - Abuja 2 200 550 25%
Lokoja - Abuja 9 000 900 10%
Abuja - Kaduna 8 000 800 10%
Abuja - Akwanga 5 700 250 4%
Enugu - Makurdi 6 000 920 15%
Makurdi - Akwanga 6 200 400 6%
Akwanga - Jos 4 000 220 6%
Jos - Bauchi 7 000 380 5%
Bauchi - Yola 4 200 370 9%
Kaduna - Zaria 11 000 920 8%
Zaria - Sokoto 5 100 420 8%
Sokoto - Illela 3 000 100 3%
Zaria - Kano 10 000 700 7%
Kano - Katsina 5 600 630 11%
Kano - Potisku 4 000 300 8%
Potisku - Maiduguri 5 000 920 18%
Maiduguri - Ngala 3 000 1 000 33%
As per the data in Table 3.5, the proportion of heavy vehicles on the network range between 3% -
33%, showing a big variation on Nigeria‘s Federal Road network.
Figure 11.1 schematically shows the volume of traffic on Federal Roads as Average Daily Traffic
(ADT/ VPD)
TRAFFIC BAND WIDTH SCHEMATIC
NIGER
LINK TRAFFIC KEY Illela
Katsina
Thickness = VPD
Sokoto CHAD
Maiduguri
Kano Potisku
40,000
BENIN Ngala
Zaria
Kaduna
20,000 Bauchi
Jos
Mokwa Yola
10,000 Abuja
Akwanga
5,000
Ilorin
Shagamu
2,000 Makurdi
Lokoja
Enugu CAMEROON
Lagos Benin City Onitsha

Mfum
Calabar
Port Harcourt
BIGHT OF BENIN
Figure 11.1 Link Traffic Flows (ADT) on Federal Road Network
B
A 1.3 2008 Axle-Load Study: Independent Axle-Load Survey Positions
INDEPENDENT AXLE LOAD SURVEYS
KEY
NIGER
Abuja- Kaduna Illela
Survey Point planned and Katsina
completed
Sokoto CHAD
Jebba - Mokwa Maiduguri
Kaduna Zaria Kano Potisku
BENIN Ngala
Survey not possible
Zaria
Abuja- Kaduna Kaduna
Kaduna Zaria Bauchi
Jebba - Mokwa Jos
Survey Point added and
completed Jebba Yola
Abuja
Ibadan - Ilorin
LokojaAkwanga
- Abuja
Ilorin
Ibadan
Lokoja Makurdi
Shagamu - Ibadan Shagamu Enugu - Onitsha
Enugu CAMEROON
Lagos Aba - Enugu
Benin City Onitsha
Mfum
Shagamu –Benin City Calabar
Port Harcourt
BIGHT OF BENIN
Figure 11.2 Axle-Load Survey Positions (2008)
A 1.4 ESAs per Heavy Vehicle
From the axle information collected in the 2008 study, average ESAs can be calculated for use in
design traffic estimates.
Table A.2 shows the average values for laden and unladen vehicles.
Table A.2: ESAs per Heavy Vehicle based on Loading

ESAs/ Heavy ESAs/ Heavy
Vehicle Vehicle
Loading of Heavy Vehicles
(Without (With
Overloading) Overloading)
Mostly Unladen 0.6 -
Both Laden and Unladen 1.6 10.0
Mostly Laden 2.0 14.0
C
Table A.3 shows the average values by truck type.
Table A.3: ESAs per Heavy Vehicle based on Truck Type

Average Average
ESALs per ESALs per Range in ESALs per
Truck Type vehicle vehicle vehicle found at
(Without (With different sites
Overloading) Overloading)
2-Axle 1.0 5.5 2.0 - 25.0
3-Axle 1.5 14.6 6.1 - 48.0
4-Axle 2.5 22.8 17.4 - 59.7
5-Axle 1.8 19.6 14.0 - 43.2
6-Axle 1.2 8.5 5.2 - 21.5
D
APPENDIX B: Nigerian subgrades
B 1: Nigerian Subgrades
B 1.1 General
The information contained in this section was obtained from research reports obtained from the
Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute. The information is not intended to replace normal
engineering process, including materials testing at a specific site. Rather, the information is
intended to provide the designer with additional information that may be used for comparison and
preliminary preparation for design.
Unfortunately, the available information is not exhaustive and only covers part of Nigeria. This
section would thus be updated as and when information became available.
B 1.2 Engineering Properties of Subgrade Soils in the Federal Capital Territory
The region is underlain by the basement complex consisting of crystalline rocks. The major rock
types encountered in the area include:
a) Igneous Rocks- fine to course-grained granites are the predominant rocks in the area
b) Metamorphic Rocks- these are mainly migmatites and migmatite gneiss, and schists rich in
flaky minerals that are easily susceptible to weathering due to high foliation
c) Sedimentary Rocks- consisting mostly of sand with gravel beds and clay deposits
Classification of Subgrades in Federal Capital Territory
The tables below show the percentage distribution of subgrade soils in the Federal Capital
Territory:
Unified Classification System
Subgrade Soil Group Percentage Distribution (%)
SM 8
SC 48
ML 2
CL 14
MH 8
CH 20
E
AASHTO Classification
A-2-4 2
A-2-6 8
A-2-7 16
A-6 14
A-7-5 10
A-7-6 50
B 1.3 Engineering Properties of Subgrade Soils in Imo State
The general topography of Imo State is characterised by gullied hill slopes underlain by
unconsolidated sedimentary rocks which date back to the Upper Cretaceous. The general lithology
in which Imo State lies consists of the following:
 Alternation of course sands with clays and shales

 Clays with lignite
 Grey clayey sandstone and sandy claystone
 Laminated clayey shales
 Shales with coal and sandstone beds
Classification of Subgrades in Imo State
The tables below show the percentage distribution of subgrade soils in Imo State:
SC 70
SM 3
SM-SC 5
CL 8
CH 8
MH or OH 5
F
A-2-4 15
A-2-6 28
A-2-7 8
A-6 7
A-7-5 8
A-7-6 33
B 1.4 Engineering Properties of Subgrade Soils in Bendel (Delta and Edo) State
About 90% of the state is underlain by sedimentary rocks, while the remaining 10% located in the
northern-most part around Igarra, is underlain by crystalline rocks of the Basement Complex.
The existing crystalline rocks are mainly metamorphic and consist of:
 Migmatite-gneiss complex
 Undifferentiated metasediments made up of schists and quartzite
 Porphyritic older granites
 Other non-metamorphosed syenite dykes
These rocks can be quarried for use as aggregates in road construction.
Classification of Subgrades in Bendel State
The tables below show the percentage distribution of subgrade soils in Bendel State:
GC 1
SM 7
SC 53
SM-SC 9
CH 9
CL 15
CL-ML 1
MH-OH 1
ML-OL 3
G
A-2-4 16
A-2-6 18
A-2-7 4
A-4 9
A-6 13
A-7-5 4
A-7-6 36
H
APPENDIX C: Pavement Design Catalogue
The Catalogue contained herein is taken from Overseas Road Note 31.(6)
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
APPENDIX D: Asphalt Institute Method Design
Charts
S
Design Chart for Full-Depth
Asphalt
T
Design Chart for Emulsified
Asphalt Mix Type I
U
Asphalt Mix Type II
V
Asphalt Mix Type III
W
Design Chart for Pavements
with Asphalt Concrete Surface
and Untreated Aggregate Base
100 mm thick
X
150 mm thick
Y
200 mm thick
Z
250 mm thick
AA
300 mm thick
BB
450 mm thick
CC

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PAVEMENT AND MATERIALS DESIGN

Federal Republic of Nigeria

Highway Manual Part 1: Design

Arc. Mike Oziegbe Onolememen, FNIA, FNIM.

Federal Ministry of Works,

Peer Review Group:

TABLE OF CONTENTS ..................................................................................................................................... I

LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................................................... IV

LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................................................ V

1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................ 1-1

1.1 DESCRIPTION OF THE MANUAL .................................................................................................................. 1-1

2 CLIMATE ......................................................................................................................................... 2-21

2.1 CLIMATOLOGICAL ZONES ........................................................................................................................ 2-21

3 DESIGN TRAFFIC AND PAVEMENT CLASS ........................................................................................... 3-1

3.1 GENERAL ............................................................................................................................................... 3-1

3.3.2 Determining Average Daily ESAs (ADE) ......................................................................................... 3-5

4 SUBGRADE ....................................................................................................................................... 4-1

4.1 GENERAL ............................................................................................................................................... 4-1

5 PROBLEM SOILS ................................................................................................................................ 5-1

5.1 GENERAL ............................................................................................................................................... 5-1

6 PAVEMENT MATERIALS .................................................................................................................... 6-1

6.1 UNBOUND PAVEMENT MATERIALS ............................................................................................................. 6-1

6.2.3 Treatment with Bitumen Emulsion .............................................................................................. 6-10

7 OTHER PAVEMENT MATERIALS ......................................................................................................... 7-1

7.1 BITUMEN EMULSION ............................................................................................................................... 7-1

8 PAVEMENT DESIGN .......................................................................................................................... 8-1

8.1 FLEXIBLE PAVEMENTS .............................................................................................................................. 8-1

9 OVERLAY DESIGN.............................................................................................................................. 9-1

9.1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 9-1

9.4 THE SHELL OVERLAY DESIGN METHOD ........................................................................................................ 9-5

10 PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS ......................................................................................................... 10-1

10.1 MATERIALS AVAILABILITY ........................................................................................................................ 10-1

APPENDIX A: NIGERIAN TRAFFIC AND AXLE LOAD STUDY .......................................................................... A

APPENDIX B: NIGERIAN SUBGRADES .................................................................................................... E

APPENDIX C: PAVEMENT DESIGN CATALOGUE........................................................................................... I

APPENDIX D: ASPHALT INSTITUTE METHOD DESIGN CHARTS .................................................................... S

FIGURE 1.1 ARRANGEMENT OF VOLUMES IN THE HIGHWAY MANUAL ................................................................................ 1-2

FIGURE 11.2 AXLE-LOAD SURVEY POSITIONS (2008) ........................................................................................................ C

TABLE 1.1: DEFINITION OF TYPICAL ROAD CATEGORIES.................................................................................................... 1-6

1.1 Description of the Manual

1.1.1 Introduction to the Manual

1.1.2 Arrangement of the Manual

1.2 Overview of Volume III: Pavements and Materials Design

The purpose of this volume is to give guidance and recommendations to the

Figure 1.1 Arrangement of Volumes in the Highway Manual

1.2.3 Scope of this Volume

1.3 Pavement Terminology

Figure 1.2 Pavement Terminology

1.4 Design Philosophy and Process

1.4.1 Service Objective (SO)

 The functional service level of the road or facility improvement

1.4.2 Functional Service Level (FSL)

A distinction is made between the functional requirements and the structural

1.4.3 Analysis Period (AP)

1.4.4 Structural Design Period (SDP)

1.4.5 Life Cycle Strategy (LCS)

1.4.6 Structural Objective (STO)

To produce a structurally balanced pavement structure of sufficient bearing capacity