Pavement Engineering

4300:565
Assignment #1
Spring 2014

SUBMITTED BY
Mir Shahnewaz Arefin
Student Id: 2824475
 PAVEMENT ENGINEERING (4300:565) Mir Shahnewaz Arefin
ASSIGNMENT #1 (Spring 2014) Student Id:2824475

Problem 1

- Draw a schematic of a typical asphalt pavement structure.

- Draw a schematic of a jointed plain concrete pavement structure.

Solution:

Figure: Typical Asphalt Pavement Cross Section

Typical Spacing: 12-20 ft

Tie
Bar

Longitudinal
Joint

Transvers Dowel
Joint Bar

Base/Sub-Base

Subgrade

Figure: Typical Jointed Plain Concrete Pavement Plain View & Cross Section

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 PAVEMENT ENGINEERING (4300:565) Mir Shahnewaz Arefin
ASSIGNMENT #1 (Spring 2014) Student Id:2824475

Problem 2

What are the main differences between flexible and rigid pavements in
terms of:
- Service life
- Initial and maintenance cost
- Major distresses
- Load transfer mechanism
- Surface texture

Solution:

Topic Flexible Rigid Pavement

Pavement
Service Low High
Li
fe
Initial & Low initial & High High initial & Low
M Maintenanc Maintenanc
ai e cost e cost
nt
en
an
ce
C
os
t
Major Rutting, Fatigue Cracking
Di cracking,
str Low
es temperatur
se e cracking
s
Load
Tr
an
sf
er
M
ec
ha
ni
s
m
Surface Rough Slippery
Te
xt
ur
e

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 PAVEMENT ENGINEERING (4300:565) Mir Shahnewaz Arefin
ASSIGNMENT #1 (Spring 2014) Student Id:2824475

Problem 3

Calculate and plot the vertical stress (z) as a function of radial offset (r) at depths (z) of
1, 2 and 4 feet using the Boussinesq equation for a point load. Assume P = 9000 lb and
plot the stresses IN PSI over the range –6 ft ≤ r ≤ +6 ft. Plot the curves for all three
depths on the same graph.

Solution:

Values of Vertical Stress (psi) for

Varying Depths & Radial Offset
  z (ft)
r
(ft) 1 2 4
-6 -0.00358 -0.02359 -0.09795
-5.5 -0.00547 -0.03477 -0.13129
-5 -0.00866 -0.05271 -0.17744
  z (ft)
r
(ft) 1 2 4
-4.5 -0.01434 -0.08244 -0.2414
-4 -0.02504 -0.13346 -0.32971
-3.5 -0.0467 -0.22427 -0.45025
-3 -0.09437 -0.39179 -0.61115
-2.5 -0.21085 -0.70974 -0.81786
-2 -0.53382 -1.31882 -1.06764
-1.5 -1.56716 -2.44462 -1.34228
-1 -5.27529 -4.27058 -1.6028
-0.5 -17.0823 -6.4112 -1.79419
0 -29.8416 -7.46039 -1.8651
0.5 -17.0823 -6.4112 -1.79419
1 -5.27529 -4.27058 -1.6028
1.5 -1.56716 -2.44462 -1.34228
2 -0.53382 -1.31882 -1.06764
2.5 -0.21085 -0.70974 -0.81786
3 -0.09437 -0.39179 -0.61115
3.5 -0.0467 -0.22427 -0.45025
4 -0.02504 -0.13346 -0.32971
4.5 -0.01434 -0.08244 -0.2414
5 -0.00866 -0.05271 -0.17744
5.5 -0.00547 -0.03477 -0.13129
6 -0.00358 -0.02359 -0.09795

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 PAVEMENT ENGINEERING (4300:565) Mir Shahnewaz Arefin
ASSIGNMENT #1 (Spring 2014) Student Id:2824475

Verti cal Stress(σz ) At Varying Depths

(Note: -ve is compression)
z=1 ft z=2 ft z=4 ft
0
-6.5 -6 -5.5 -5 -4.5 -4 -3.5 -3 -2.5 -2 -1.5 -1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6 6.5

-5

-10

-15
σz (psi)

-20

-25

-30

-35

r (ft)

Problem 4

Repeat Problem 3 for the vertical deflection. Plot the deflections IN MILS (thousandths
of inches). Assume the elastic half-space has a Poisson’s ratio of 0.5 and a modulus of
10,000 psi.

Solution:

Values of Vertical Deflection (mils) for Varying

Depths & Radial Offset
  z (ft)
r (ft) 1 2 4
-6 5.0 5.0 4.9
-5.5 5.4 5.5 5.3
-5 6.0 6.0 5.8
-4.5 6.7 6.7 6.3
-4 7.5 7.5 6.9
-3.5 8.6 8.5 7.5
-3 10.0 9.8 8.3
-2.5 12.0 11.5 9.1
-2 14.9 13.7 9.9
-1.5 19.6 16.5 10.7
  z (ft)

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PAVEMENT ENGINEERING (4300:565) Mir Shahnewaz Arefin
ASSIGNMENT #1 (Spring 2014) Student Id:2824475

r (ft) 1 2 4
-1 27.4 19.8 11.3
-0.5 39.5 22.6 11.8
0 47.7 23.9 11.9
0.5 39.5 22.6 11.8
1 27.4 19.8 11.3
1.5 19.6 16.5 10.7
2 14.9 13.7 9.9
2.5 12.0 11.5 9.1
3 10.0 9.8 8.3
3.5 8.6 8.5 7.5
4 7.5 7.5 6.9
4.5 6.7 6.7 6.3
5 6.0 6.0 5.8
5.5 5.4 5.5 5.3
6 5.0 5.0 4.9

Verti cal Defl ecti on(in Mils ) At Varying Depths

(Note: +ve is downward defl ecti on)
z=1 ft z=2 ft z=4 ft
60.0

50.0
Vertical Deflection (Mils)

40.0

30.0

20.0

10.0

0.0
-6.5 -6 -5.5 -5 -4.5 -4 -3.5 -3 -2.5 -2 -1.5 -1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6 6.5

r (ft)

Problem 5

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 PAVEMENT ENGINEERING (4300:565) Mir Shahnewaz Arefin
ASSIGNMENT #1 (Spring 2014) Student Id:2824475

Calculate and plot the vertical stress as a function of depth using the Boussinesq
equation for a uniform circular load distribution. Assume a 9000-lb wheel load
transmitted to the ground by 80-psi tires and plot the stresses IN PSI from the ground
surface to a depth of 6 feet under the center of the circular load.

Solution:

z (ft) σz (psi)
0 80.000
0.5 51.600
1 22.700
1.5 11.600
2 6.910
2.5 4.540
3 3.200
3.5 2.370
4 1.820
4.5 1.440
5 1.170
5.5 0.964
6 0.809

Vertical Stress (psi) in Varying Depths

(Note: +ve is compression)
90.000

80.000

70.000

60.000
Vertical Stress (psi)

50.000

40.000

30.000

20.000

10.000

0.000
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6 6.5

Depth (ft)

Problem 6

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 PAVEMENT ENGINEERING (4300:565) Mir Shahnewaz Arefin
ASSIGNMENT #1 (Spring 2014) Student Id:2824475

Repeat Problem 5 assuming a point load of 9000 lbs. Plot the results on the same figure
used in Problem 5. At what depth do the two solutions merge?

Solution:

z (ft) σz (psi) Circular Load σz (psi) Point Load

0 80.000 ∞
0.5 51.600 119.366
1 22.700 29.842
1.5 11.600 13.263
2 6.910 7.460
2.5 4.540 4.775
3 3.200 3.316
3.5 2.370 2.436
4 1.820 1.865
4.5 1.440 1.474
5 1.170 1.194
5.5 0.964 0.986
6 0.809 0.829

Verti cal Stress (psi) in Varying Depths

(Note: +ve is compression)
Circular Load Point Load

90.000
85.000
80.000
75.000
70.000
65.000
60.000
Vertical Stress (psi)

55.000
50.000
45.000
40.000
35.000
30.000
25.000
20.000
15.000
10.000
5.000
0.000
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6 6.5

Depth (ft)

From depth of 2.5 feet, the two solutions become close to each other.

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