AASHTO METHOD

DESIGN PROCEDURE:
- ESTIMATE TRAFFIC FOR THE DESIGN PERIOD (W18)
- DETERMINING RELIABILITY (R.) AND STANDARD DEVIATION (So)
- ESTABLISH THE EFFECTIVE REACTION MODULE OF THE
SUBGRADE (K)
- DETERMINATE THE LOSS OF DESIGN SERVICEABILITY (^pSI)
- GET THE THICKNESS OF THE SLAB (D) ABACUS OR FORMULA
- ESTABLISH THE THICKNESS THAT SATISFIES THE STRUCTURAL
NUMBER.
 AASHTO FUNDAMENTAL EQUATION

ZR = It is the value of Z (area under the distribution curve) corresponding to the standardized cradle, for a reliability R.

So = Standard deviation of all variables.

D = Thickness of pavement slab in inches.

APSI = Design Loss of Serviceability.

P, = Final serviceability.

S, = Modulus of rupture of concrete in psi.

J = Charge transfer coefficient.

Cj = Drainage coefficient.

Ec = Modulus of elasticity of concrete, in psi.

 K = Subgrade reaction modulus (ballast coefficient), in pci (psi/in).

DESIGN PERIOD
•It is set to the expectations and requirements of the
institution or agency, however in the case of rigid
pavements it must be taken into account that the design
period must be as long as possible so that the alternative is
economically viable, in the MTC design manual (2014) it
establishes that this must be at least 20 years.
 DESIGN PERIOD
Table 1.1 Periods of analysis

ROAD CLASSIFICATION ANALYSIS PERIOD (YEARS)

High volume urban traffic 30-50

High volume rural traffic 20-50

Low volume paved traffic 15-23

Unpaved low traffic volume 10-20

"Giuia AASH TO “Design of pavement structures, 1993"

• The design traffic is expressed in repetitions of equivalent axles for the
design period that are determined according to the traffic procedure.
• In the MTC manual, it defines three categories of traffic for the design that
are summarized in the following table.
 NUMBER OF
labia 5.5 Number of accumulated repetitions of 8.2 t
equivalent axles, in the design lane (MTC 2013)

ACCUMULATED
Tino, Traffic Types Traffic Ranges
Trifid Heavy Heavy Expressed
Expressed in the USA___inEE____

REPETITIONS OF
> 150,000 US
Tpi
es 300,000 US
Tp2
> 300,000 US

EQUIVALENT AXES
Category 1: s 500,000 US
low volume > 500,000 US
Tp3
£ 750,000 US
Tp4
> 750,000 US
< 1'000,000 US
TP5
> 1'000,000 US
s 1'500,000 US
> 1'500,000 US
TP6
s 3'000,000 US
Tp7
> 3'000,000 US
s 5'000,000 US
> 5'000,000 US
TP8
< 7'500,000 US
TP9
> 7'500,000 US
Category 2: _____ < 10'000,000 US
average volume > 10'000,000 US
Type
s 12'500,000 US
> 12'500,000 US
Tpn
s 15'000,000 US
T,, > 15'000,000 US
1
P12 s 20'000,000 US
T, > 20'000,000 US
1
P13 s 25'000,000 US
> 25'000,000 US
1 an annAN AAA ~E
P14
 RELIABILITY AND VARIABILITY
• The AASHTO guide incorporates a reliability factor (R%) into the design to
account for uncertainty in repeat traffic and pavement performance
serviceomua '

Table 5.6 Recommended values d and reliability level (R) and normal standard deviation Cu according to traffic range
Connarmaad Level (zpn Normal
Type of Roads Traffic Equivalent Axles Accumulated (r)
-0.524
— TP1 150,001
300,000 70% -0.674
. : TP2 300,001 500,000 75%_________
Low Roads__________________ 750,000 80% -0.842
Traffic Volume TP3 500,001
TP4 750 001 1,000,000 80%__________ -0 842
-1.036
TP5 1,000,001 1,500,000 _ 85%__________
TP6 1,500,001 3,000,000 _ 85%__________ -1.036

TP7 3,000,001 5,000,000 85% -1.036

TP8 5,000,001 7,500,000 90% -1.282 _______
TP9 7,500,001 10’000,000 90% -1.282 _
Rest of Paths TP10 10’000,001 12’500,000 90% -1.282 __
TP11 12’500,001 15’000,000 90% -1.282
---------------------- --------------------------------—-----------------------------—-----------5

TP12 15’000,001 20'000,000 90% -1.282

TP13 20’000,001 25'000,000 90% -1.282
TP14 25’000,001 30′000,000 90% -1.282
TP15 __________ >30’000,000 -1.645
95%
 RELIABILITY LEVELS
a) Degree of importance of the road

It has to do with the expected use of the road. Thus, for main roads the level of reliability is high, since an
undersizing of the pavement thickness will result in it reaching the minimum levels of serviceability earlier than
expected, due to the rapid deterioration that the structure will experience. Table 1.3 shows the accounting levels
recommended by AASHTO.

Table 1.3 Levels of Reliability“

Type of road Urban area [Turn zone]
Interstates and Highways 85-99.9 SO-99.9
Main arteries SO-99 75-99
Collectors SO-95 75-95
Locals 50-SO 50-SO
 SERVICEABILITY INDEX
SERVICEABILITY INDEX
a} Initial bi lity service index (Po)

index of
The initial serviceability index
Traffic Accumulated
(Po) is established as equivalent
the originalaxes
condition of the pavement immediately
Serviceability after its construction
Final or Terminal or
Serviceability
Serviceability
Initial (po) if no information
rehabilitation. AASHTO established a desirable initial value of 4.5 for rigid pavements, Index (p) for
is available Differential
design. (Apsi)
b)
TP5
Final serviceability index (Pe)
1,000,001 1,500,000 4.30 2.50 1.80
TP6 1,500,001 3,000,000 4.30 2.50 1.80
The final serviceability index (P.) occurs when the pavement surface no longer meets the comfort and safety expectations required by the user. Depending
on the importance of TP7
the road, the Pt values indicated in Table
3,000,001 1.-4 may be considered. 4.30
5,000,000 2.50 1.80
Table 1.4 Fanal serviceability index
TP8 5,000,001 7,500,000 4.30 2.50 1.80
Pt Classification
TP9 3.00 7,500,001 10'000,000 To LILOtracks4.30 2.50 1.80
2.50 Collectors
TP10 2.25 10’000,001 12'500,000 4.30streets
Commercial and industrial 2.50 1.80
2.00 Residential streets and parking lots
TP11 12'500,001 15’000,000 4.30 2.50 1.80

Serviceability loss isTP12 15’000,001

defined as the difference between the20’000,000 4.50index.
initial and terminal serviceability 3.00 1.50
APSI = Po - P,
TP13 20’000,001 25’000,000 4.50 3.00 1.50
TP14 25'000,001 30'000,000 4.50 3.00________ 1.50
„QAAA A 000 4.50 3.00 1.50
A
 MODULUS OF BREAKAGE OF CONCRETE
• It is a very important parameter as an input variable for the design of rigid
pavements.
• since it will control fatigue cracking of the pavement, caused by repetitive truck loads.
• It is also known as the tensile strength of concrete by flexure.
• The modulus of rupture required by the design procedure is the average value
determined after 28 days using the load in thirds test. In this way, a zone subjected to
a constant bending moment equal to PL/3 is obtained in the middle third and the
breakage will occur at any point in this middle third with the only condition that there
is a weakness there.
• This test is recommended over the midpoint load test, in which failure will inevitably
occur at the point (load application point) where the bending moment is maximum.
The modulus of rupture can also be determined through
the following correlations:
1. Estimation through the compressive strength of concrete.
 S,=k(f)0 7
Where:
f = Compressive strength of concrete in psi.

2. Estimation through indirect tensile strength.

S, =210+1.02 IT
Where:
IT = Indirect tensile strength measured on the test specimens in psi.

The values of the modulus of rupture vary between 2.8 MPa (400 psi) and 4.8 MPa (700 psi), even reaching values
of 8.2 MPa (1200 psi), in concretes with high initial strength.

MODULUS OF ELASTICITY OF CONCRETE

• It is a parameter that indicates the rigidity and the capacity to distribute loads
that a pavement slab has.
• It is the relationship between stress and strain.
• Deflections, curvatures and stresses are directly related to the modulus of
elasticity of concrete.
• In continuous reinforced concrete pavements, the modulus of elasticity
together with the coefficient of thermal expansion and contraction of the
concrete are those that govern the state of stress in the reinforcement.
• For normal-weight concrete, the American Concrete Institute suggested:
Ec =57000 (fj05

Where Ec and f are given in psi

CONCRETE STRENGTH ACCORDING TO
TRAFFIC RANGE (MTC 2014)
 SUBGRADE REACTION MODULUS (K)
This factor gives us an idea of how much the subgrade settles when a compressive stress is
applied to it. Numerically, it equals the load in pounds per square inch on a load area, divided
by the deflection in inches for that load. K values are expressed as pounds per square inch (pci).

Since plate load testing is time consuming and expensive, the value of k is usually estimated by
correlation with other simple tests, such as California support ratio (CBR) or R-value tests. The
result is valid because exact determination of the k value is not required; normal variations for
an estimated value will not appreciably affect pavement thickness requirements. The
relationships in Figure 1.13 are satisfactory for design purposes.
 MONOGRAM TO
000,000
600,000
400,000 Composite reaction
200,000 modulus of the

DETERMINE THE
100,00 subgrade,
75,000
50,000
30,000

COMPOUND REACTION
15,000

MODULE
CHARGE TRANSFER
COEFFICIENT
Example Dsa = 6 in, E, =
20,000psi, and
M, = 7,000

Solution: k = 400 pci

• The load transfer coefficient “J” is

the numerical index that accounts
for the load transfer efficiency of
the different assembly designs.
The lowest values are associated
with load transfer devices (such
 as pins) and berms.
Table 5.13. Charge transfer coefficient
Berm Asphalt PCC

Load transfer Yeah No Yeah No

device
Type of
pavement _________________
With joints and 3.2 3.8-4.4 2.5-3.1 3.6-4.2
reinforcement
2.9-3.2 NA 2.3 -2.9 NA
CRCP ___________
Lil id liquid .10 SC OOSeIVd QuC ulld llaniSicrelCld QC Cargas CS liUid, CuanldO Id iOSd 11U loaded
does not experience any deflection,
the opposite happens when there is a perfect load transfer where the deflection of the unloaded slab is equal to that
of the loaded slab.

Zero Load Transfer

Optimal Load Transfer

Figure 1.16 Load transfer*
 labia 1.6 Charge transfer coefficient (J)"

Yeah No Yeah No Yeah No Guy

Side stand
ESALs in With pins with or With booster Without [ grills
millions without temperature continuou (aggregate between
reinforcement s friction )
Up to 0.3 2.7 3.2 2.8 3.2 — • Streets and
0.3-1 2.7 3.2 3.0 3.4 — — paths
1—3 2.7 3.2 3.1 3.6 — — Neighborhoo
3-10 2.7 3.2 3.2 3.8 2.5 2.9 dsPaths
10-30 2.7 3.2 3.4 4.1 2.6 3.0 main
more than 30 2.7 3.2 3.6 4.3 2.6 3.1 and highways
 DRAINAGE
• The process by which surface infiltration water or groundwater seepage is removed
from soils and rocks by natural or artificial means is called drainage.
• Drainage is one of the most important factors in pavement design.
• Water is the main cause of deterioration of pavement structure, because it causes
many devastating effects on it; the worst being the loss of pavement support.
• To minimize the effects of water on pavements, you must:
• • Prevent water from entering the pavement (surface drainage).
• • Provide drainage to remove water quickly (underground drainage).
• • Build a pavement strong enough to withstand the combined effect of
load and water
 Drainage coefficient
• The drainage coefficient Cd, was included in the AASTHO thickness design,
to account for changes in thickness requirement due to differences in
drainage properties of the pavement and subsoil layers, Cd=1 is considered
for conditions
from AASHO road Table 5.16. Drainage coefficient for rigid pavements

urendje test.
<1% 1-5% 5-25% > 25%
Quality
Excellent 1.25-1.20 1.20-1.15 1.15-1.10 1.10
of
Well 1.20-1.15 1.15-1.10 1.10-1.00 1.00
Regular 1.15-1.10 1.10-1.00 1.00-0.90 0.90
Bad 1.10-1.00 1.00-0.90 0.90-0.80 0.80
Very bad 1.00-0.90 0.90-0.80 0.80-0.70 0.70
% of time that the pavement structure is
exposed to humidity levels close to
saturation
 Table 1.5 Recommended values of the drainage coefficient (Ca) for the design

CD

Time elapsed for the soil Percentage of time that the pavement structure is exposed to
to release 50% of its free humidity levels close to saturation.
Qualification water < 1% 1-5%| 5-25 % > 25 %
Excellent 2 hours 1.25-1.20 1.20-1.15 1.15-1.10 1.10
Well 1 day 1.20-1.15 1.15-1.10 1.10- 1.00 1.00
Regular 1 week 1.15-1.10 1.10-1.00 1.00 - 0.90 0.90
Poor 1 month 1.10-1.00 1.00-0.90 0.90 - 0.80 0.80
Very poor Never 1.00-0.90 0.90-0.80 0.80-0.70 r 0.70
 LOSS OF SUPPORT
Table 1.7 provides some AASHTO suggested ranges for loss of support, depending on the type of material (specifically its stiffness or elastic
modulus).

Table 1.7 LS* Values

TYPE OF MATERIAL LOSS OF SUPPORT

Cement-treated granular base (E = 1,000,000 to 2,000,000 0.0- 1.0
psi)
Aggregate mixtures with cement (E = 500,000 to 1,000,000 0.0- 1.0
psi)
0.0 - 1.0
Asphalt treated bases (E = 350,000 to 1,000,000 psi)
0.0- 1.0
Stabilized bituminous mixtures (E = 40,000 to 300,000 psi)
1.0-3.0
Lime stabilized (E = 20,000 to 70,000 psi)
1.0-3.0
Granular materials without binder (E= 15,000 to 45,000 psi)
Fine granular materials or natural subgrade (E = 3,000 to 2.0-3.0
40,000 psi)
AASHTO Guide “Design of pavement structures. 1993"
REQUIRED SLAB THICKNESS
• The required slab thickness is obtained using the following monogram or the
corresponding equation.
• The effect of environmental factors such as expansion of the support layer,
swelling due to freezing and deterioration due to wear could result in a loss
of service.
 REQUIRED SLAB THICKNESS
In metric system units:

logW18 = ZRSo + 7.35log(D + 25.4) - 10.9 +

 S'cCd(0.09D°75-1.132)
+(4.22 - 0.32pt)log
1.51J 0.09D0.75
0.25
AASHTO FUNDAMENTAL EQUATION

ZR = It is the value of Z (area under the distribution curve) corresponding to the standardized cradle, for a reliability R.

So = Standard deviation of all variables.

D = Thickness of pavement slab in inches.

APSI = Design Loss of Serviceability.

P, = Final serviceability.

S, = Modulus of rupture of concrete in psi.

J = Charge transfer coefficient.

Cj = Drainage coefficient.

Ec = Modulus of elasticity of concrete, in psi.

K = Subgrade reaction modulus (ballast coefficient), in pci (psi/in).

111.1 Design procedure

For the design of the rigid pavement, the AASTHO method presented below will be followed:

The general formula for the design of rigid pavements is based on the results obtained from the AASHTO test. The formula is the
following: Deviation Mist
Serviceability
normal standard combined
standard Thickne
ss
^PSI

1.624 x 107
Module of
rupture Drainage coefficient
log10(E18) = Final serviceability
S'c xCdx (D°.75 - 1.132)
+(4.22 - 0.32 x Pt) x log1Q
Traffic , -e 18.42 x J
215.63 D075 -

Module of Module of Module of

transfer of elasticity reaction
burden
AASHTO93 DESIGN MONOGRAM

10 -
1200
20 -
1100

1000- 30 -

900-

50 -

60 -

Note. Application of Reliability in this

table requires the use of the mean
values of all input variables
The following table concentrates the calculated data of the different variables in order to enter the

nomogram and obtain the thickness of the slab.

CALCULATION
VARIABLE NAME
VARIABLE (UNITS} VARIABLE VALUE
OF
Soil reaction modulus K=PCI 360.36 THICKNESS OF
SLAB OF
Modulus of elasticity of concrete Ec = PSI 5X106
Modulus of rupture MR = PSI 650
Charge transfer coefficient
Drainage coefficient
J = Adim.
= Adim.
Cd
2.5
1.20
CONCRETE
Loss of serviceability APSI = Adim. 2.0
Reliability R=% 90
Standard deviation %= Add. 0.30
Equivalent load ESAL's = kip 106 53 515 027.31

Below each scale of the nomogram, the data for each variable is indicated.
splice line
 Slab thickness
calculation
DEFINITION,
FUNCTION AND
TYPE OF JOINTS
• Due to the volumetric changes that
concrete experiences by its nature
and the construction systems of rigid
pavements, the construction of
joints and/or unions between
sections or slabs of a pavement is
necessary.
• The function of the boards is to:
> To maintain the stresses that develop in the structure of a pavement within the
admissible values of the concrete or to dissipate stresses due to cracking induced
beneath the same joints.
> Controls transverse and longitudinal cracking.
> Divides the pavement into appropriate sections based on traffic loads.
> Allows the transfer of loads between slabs.
• The most common types of joints in rigid pavements fall into two classifications:
transverse and longitudinal, which in turn are classified as contraction,
construction and expansion.
 Joints can be classified according to the following table.
•Location relative to the • Contraction
pavement axis • Construction
• Expansion
The boards
• are Function
• classified Transversals

• Longitudinal