Pavement Underdrain to

Achieve Longer Life

Pavement Structure
Tommy E. Nantung
INDOT Research and Development Division
Sources of Moisture

Through permeable surface

From
edge Capillary Seepage from
Vapor high ground
action movements
Rising water table

Water table
Surface Infiltration

 Major source of moisture into

pavement
 Typical values of infiltration ratios for
older pavements
p
 HMA pavement: 33 to 50 percent
 PCC pavement: 50 to 67 percent
Moisture-Related Damage

 Moisture-related damage falls into

three categories
 Weakening of pavement layers
 Degradation
g of pavement
p material (stripping
( pp g
and erosion of HMA, erosion of other
materials, D-cracking of PCC)
 Loss of bond between layers (pavement
stripping
 All three types of damage can occur
simultaneously

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Moisture-Related Damage

 More damage when pavement is

saturated (e.g., rainy seasons and
spring thaw)
 More damageg when weakened
pavement is subjected to heavy axle
loads

2-5
 Variation of Resilient Modulus with Moisture Content
Resilient Modulus MR, ksi 100% AASHTO - T99
16
95% AASHTO - T99
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

3-6 % Saturation, S
Moisture-Related Distresses PCC

 Pumping
 Faulting
g
 Corner cracking
 Transverse cracking
 D-cracking
 Alkali-silica reaction

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Pumping

2-8
Faulting

2-9
Corner break Punch-out

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D-cracking

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Moisture-Related Distresses – HMA

 Rutting of unbound layers

and subgrade
 Potholes
 Alligator/fatigue crack deterioration
 Pumping of fines
 St i i
Stripping off asphalt
h lt

2-12
Rutting

2-13
Alligator
g ((fatigue)
g ) crackingg

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Pumping

2-15
High-severity pothole

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AC stripping
and erosion

2-17
Approaches to Addressing Excess Moisture

 Prevent moisture from entering the

pavement
 Pavement geometry (slopes and ditches)
 Crack sealing/resealing
g/ g (HMA)
( )
 Joint and crack sealing/resealing (PCC)

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Crowned Cross Slopes

3.7 m 1.9 m 18.5 m

(12 ft) (6 ft) (60 ft)

2% 4% Shoulder
PCC slab
Treated base

Aggregate
gg g base

Subgrade

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Approaches to Addressing Excess Moisture

 Use non-erodible base materials

 Granular pavement base (open graded)
g
 Cement-treated base (CTB), open graded
 AC-treated base ((ATB)) with adequate
q asphalt
p
binder fortified with anti-stripping agents
(INDOT specified PG 76-22)

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Approaches to Addressing Excess Moisture

 Other design features that reduce

PCC pavement moisture damage
 Dowels
 Tied shoulders
 Widened lanes
 Thick g
granular base (with
( granular
g subbase
for underdrain)

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Approaches to Addressing Excess Moisture

 Quickly remove infiltrated moisture

by incorporating drainage systems in
pavements
 INDOT Permeable base permeability
p y
 Granular open graded +/- 8,000 ft/day
 Stabilized open graded +/
+/- 3,000 ft/day
 FHWA recommendations
 Time to drain of less than 2 hours
Time-to-drain
 Permeability values in excess of 300 m/day (1000
ft/day).
t/day)

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Approaches to Addressing Excess Moisture

 Combination of approaches can be used

for pavements under heavy traffic
 Minimize infiltration of moisture
 Pavement preservations
 U non-erodible
Use dibl base
b materials
t i l
 Granular base (stabilized and non-stabilized)
 Use design features that reduce
moisture damage
 Provide dowel,, ditches,, etc.
 Provide subsurface drainage

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Permeable Base

Thick granular/stabilized open graded

permeable base

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Permeable Base

 Open-graded
O d d
drainage layer
 Can be treated or
untreated
 Could be
daylighted
y g or
edgedrained
Cement -treated permeable base

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JPCP cross section

9” – 15” JPCP
p g
3” Open graded stone
6” - 12” Dense
graded stone
14” Soil treatment

Soil subgrade
HMA pavement cross section

1.5” Surface
2 5” Intermediate
2.5”
3”+ Dense graded base
3” Open graded base
3
3” Dense graded base

14” Soil treatment

Soil subgrade
Separator Layer

 A dense-graded aggregate layer or a

geotextile layer with low
permeability (suitable permitivity)
 Used alongg with a p
permeable base
 Maintains separation between the
subgrade and the permeable base
 Deflects surface infiltration towards
the edgedrains

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Pipe Edgedrains

 Perforated metallic or
plastic pipes
 Run along the
pavement length
 Intercept water
Longitudinal pipe edgedrain exiting the pavement

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Prefabricated Geocomposite Edge drains

 PGED
 Also called “panel”
p
or “fin” drains
 Rigid plastic core

wrapped with a
PGED Section geotextile
 Lower hydraulic

capacity than a pipe

 Used in limited
retrofit
t fit applications
li ti
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Outlet Pipes

 Short metallic or plastic pipes

connected to the edgedrains
 New project 6” pipe, retrofit is 4” pipe
 Perpendicular to the roadway
 Spaced at regular intervals
 INDOT is <400 feet,
feet typically 300 feet
 Carry water from edgedrains to the
side ditches/storm
ditches/sto m drains
d ains

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Side Ditches/Storm Drains

 Carry water from the outlet pipes and

surface runoff away from the
pavement
 Should have adequate
q depth
p
 In urban locations storm drains are
used instead of side ditches to collect
water

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Types off S
T Subsurface
b f
Drainage
g Systems
y

2-33
Typical Drainage Systems

 Permeable base system

 Permeable base
 Separator layer
 Longitudinal
g edgedrains
g or daylighting
y g g
 Outlet pipes and ditch or storm drain

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Permeable Base System with Edgedrains

C
L
150 mm
Pavement Shoulder (6 in)
Permeable base Outflow
Separator layer

Longitudinal
pipe
i edgedrain
d d i
Rigid
outlet pipe Ditch

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Daylighted Permeable Base

P
Pavement
t Sh ld
Shoulder E b k
Embankment
t

Permeable base Fabric

separator
Separator layer
Subgrade
Ditch

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Other Types of Subsurface Drainage Systems

 Longitudinal edgedrain systems with

 Erodible or non-erodible base
 Pipe drains or geocomposite drains
 Outlet p
pipes
p and ditch/storm
/ drain
 Non-erodible base with porous
concrete shoulder (for PCC
pavements)
 Daylighted dense-graded bases
(DGAB)

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Example Section with Geocomposite Edgedrains

AC/PCC p
pavement
Sh ld
Shoulder
Aggregate base
Subbase/Subgrade
Geocomposite
drain
S d Backfill
Sand B kfill
25 mm (1 in)

100 mm
(4 in)

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Non-erodible Base with Porous Concrete Shoulder

AC Shoulder
PCC
p
pavement Porous concrete
Nonerodible base

Separator layer

Slotted pipe
Geotextile

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Structural Benefits of the
Drainage Systems

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 Subgrade Resilience Modulus

SR-67: A-4 or A-7-6

(Lime Modified Subgrade)
US-231:
US 231 A-4
A4
(Lime Modified Subgrade)
Drained

SR-545: A-4 or A-6

SR-42: A-4 or A-6
Undrained
U
 Modulus of Subgrade Reaction (k)

SR-61: A-4 or A-6

US-6: A-3 or A-2-4
I-164 : A-4 or A-6
Drained

US-30: A-6
SR 51: A-3
SR-51: A3
ndrained
Un
HMA Equivalent Thickness
Drained
Undrained
U
PCC Equivalent Thickness

Drained
D
Undrained
Common Mistakes in Pavement Underdrain
Common Mistakes in Pavement Underdrain
Common Mistakes in Pavement Underdrain
Common Mistakes in Pavement Underdrain
Common Mistakes in Pavement Underdrain
Common Mistakes in Pavement Underdrain
Summary

 Surface infiltration represents a

major source of moisture in the
pavement
 Moisture can be detrimental to
pavement performance
 Drainage systems should be designed
to remove moisture from pavement
before damage occurs

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Summary

 Pavement drainage system provides

significant structural benefits to the
pavement structure
 Subsurface drainageg is a viable
option to address moisture problems
 Various subsurface drainage
alternatives exist

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QUESTIONS???