37554 B.Sudharshan Reddy et al./ Elixir Civil Engg.

90 (2016) 37554-37556
Available online at www.elixirpublishers.com (Elixir International Journal)

Civil Engineering
Elixir Civil Engg. 90 (2016) 37554-37556

Performance Evaluation of Flexible Pavement on National Highway-18

Kurnool District of Andhra Pradesh
B.Sudharshan Reddy1, G.Srinivasa Reddy2 , M.S.Anantha Venkatesh3 and N.V. Hussain Reddy4
1,3,4
Department of Civil Engineering AVR & SVR College of Engineering and Technology, Nandyal.
2
Department of Civil Engineering KSRM College of Engineering, Kadapa.

ARTICLE INFO AB S T RA C T
Art i cl e h i sto ry : An efficient and adequate transportation system is one of the key indicators of a nation’s
Received: 1 December 2015; prosperity, its developmental status and overall economic growth. The roads pass through areas
Received in revised form: with extreme climatic conditions from heavy rainfall to desert conditions; diverse terrains from
3 January 2016; plains to extremely high mountains, plateaus and varying soil grades, rocky and gravelly to
Accepted: 8 January 2016; marshy land. Over the past four decades, the share of total rail and road traffic carrying
passengers and goods is gradually increasing because of fast and ever-increasing industrial,
K ey w o rd s commercial, and other socioeconomic development activities, the road transport vehicle
Transportation system, population, especially the vehicles carrying goods, has also increased phenomenally during this
Arterial road system, period. Because of economies in road transportation, overloading by truck operators is
Premature distress. common. The majority of the arterial road system experiences overloading, as much as 18 to
20-tonne axle loads versus the permissible legal limit of 10.2 tonnes. The existing road network
has shown signs of premature distress because of the unexpected demands of growing traffic
volume and heavier axle loads. The network has fallen short of its structural capacity and hence
it is greatly overstrained. The majority of allocated funds are utilized for providing maintenance
and rehabilitation measures to the existing network rather than for new construction. With this
background, in the present study, a road section is identified in Kurnool district of Andhra
Pradesh to carry out the pavement performance study on distresses. For the selected stretch,
data was collected on rutting, raveling, potholes, edge failures, traffic, etc. The detailed analysis
was performed using NCSS statistical tool and to develop a pavement performance model for
the selected stretch.
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Background the level of compaction of sub-surface soils can be essential to

Performance prediction models represent a key element of designing and building structures, particularly those subject to
road infrastructure asset management systems or pavement transient or cycling loads. A perfect example is roadways. If
management systems. Thus successful implementation of the soil beneath a roadway is not compacted sufficiently, then
these systems depends heavily on the performance prediction over time the cycling loads of passing traffic will compact the
model used as the accuracy of the predictions determines the soil further, leading to surface failure such as large cracks,
reasonableness of the decisions. Several pavement potholes and displaced pavement. For the evaluation purpose
performance prediction models have been proposed over the he Dynamic Cone Penetrometer Test (DCPT) was in the
years. Many of these models are developed for application in a study.
particular region or country under specific traffic and climatic Methodology
conditions. Therefore they cannot be directly applied in other
countries or conditions. Although much research has been
devoted to performance modelling of pavements, a
comprehensive model that can predict pavement performance
accurately has yet to be developed. The available models can
be broadly classified into three groups; empirical,
mechanistic-empirical and subjective models. Various
empirical models are proposed for application at network and
project levels. The mechanistic-empirical models are often
developed in connection to design systems and therefore have
not been widely applied in pavement management systems
(PMS), but have the potential to be applied at a network level.
The subjective models are mostly developed for strategic
(investment) planning at the network level. Thus, the review
showed that there is a need to develop improved models for Figure 1. Proposed Methodology
use both at the network level and the project level. Assessing
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37555 B.Sudharshan Reddy et al./ Elixir Civil Engg. 90 (2016) 37554-37556

The proposed methodology for the study is mentioned in flow chartthe reason that the cone of the Dynamic Cone Penetrometer
of Figure 1. entered the subgrade soil. As the subgrade soil is soft
Data Collection compared to the above layers, i.e. The granular sub-base
Rutting (200mm), Wet Mix Macadam (250mm), Dense Bituminous
Rutting of pavement can represent a major hazard to users Macadam with Wearing Coat (140mm), the penetration rate
as well as being an early indicator of pavement failure. Rut increased (12.3cm) with less number of blows (14 blows) after
depth measurements are therefore usually included in most of 572mm depth. Within 572mm depth, the minimum and
the road monitoring programmers. In the present investigation maximum penetration values for a single blow are 0 mm and
the rut depth was measured using 3 m straight edge positioned 5mm respectively. As per the code provisions the permissible
at different locations across the profile and the high and low penetration value for a single blow is 5mm.
points were determined. The maximum rut depth is 12 mm
towards Kurnool and 11 mm towards Kamala for January and
depth is 12.3 mm towards Kurnool and 11.4mm towards
Kadapa for March respectively. This may be due to the many
factors such as traffic, sub grade moisture content etc. One can
observe from above data that in both instances the rut depth is
within the limits.
Traffic data
Traffic volume counts are needed to determine the traffic
using the highway so that planner gets accurate idea of the
need for the improving the pavement surface. Traffic counts
are carried out on continuous basis or for limited period. The
volume study for selected stretch done for NH-18 at 273+550
to 274+550 have considered 2 days 24hours data, conducted
have considered all the slow moving and fast moving vehicles
at regular intervals of 1 hour. In this work, it has have
considered only commercial vehicles such that the gross
weight of vehicle is more than 3 tons for calculation of M.S.A
because the pavement deterioration is directly proportional to
the load under repetition. Design traffic in terms of million
slandered axles has been determined at selected stretch where
both volume count surveys were conducted. The traffic
loading in terms of cumulative number of standard axles for Figure 2. DCP Equipment and Typical output of the data.
the given period has been computed using the following
relationship.
N = 365 *[(1+r)n -1 ]*A*D*F*L
N = Cumulative no. of standard axles to be calculated for the
design in terms of MSA.
A = Cumulative vehicles per day=5056
D = Directional distribution factor =0.5
L = Lane distribution factor =0.75
n = Design life in years =15
r = Annual growth rate =7.5%
F = Vehicle damage factor =5.00
1. 24 Hours Traffic count =7601.5
2. 24 Hours Traffic count = 7565.
Figure 1. DCP Results for Selected Chainages
A = 5056
N = 90.37 msa
Dynamic Cone Penetration Test (DCPT)
The dynamic cone penetration test (DCPT) was originally
developed as an alternative for evaluating the properties of
flexible pavement or sub grade soils. The conventional
approach to evaluate strength and stiffness properties of
asphalt and sub grade soils involves a core sampling procedure
and a complicated laboratory testing program such as resilient
modulus, Marshall tests and others (Livneh et al. 1994). Due
to its economy and simplicity, better understanding of the
DCPT results can reduce significantly the effort and cost
involved in the evaluation of pavement and sub grade soils. Figure 2. DCP Results for Selected Chainages
The Figure 2 shows the DCP equipment setup and typical data From the above graph it is observed that, the rate of
penetration curve. penetration is uniform up to a depth of 502mm for 200 blows.
From the above graph it is observed that, the rate of From there, the rate of penetration increased adversely due to
penetration is uniform up to a depth of 572mm for 240 blows. the reason that the cone of the Dynamic Cone Penetrometer
From there, the rate of penetration increased adversely due to entered the subgrade soil. As the subgrade soil is soft
37556 B.Sudharshan Reddy et al./ Elixir Civil Engg. 90 (2016) 37554-37556

compared to the above layers, i.e. The granular sub-base entered the subgrade soil. As the subgrade soil is soft
(200mm), Wet mix Macadam (250mm), Dense Bituminous compared to the above layers,
Macadam with Wearing Coat (140mm), the penetration rate
increased (12.3cm) with less number of blows (18 blows) after
502mm depth. Within 502mm depth, the minimum and
maximum penetration values for a single blow are 0 mm and
5mm respectively. As per the code provisions the permissible
penetration value for a single blow is 5mm.

Figure 5. DCP Results for Selected Chainages

i.e. The granular sub-base (200mm), Wet mix Macadam
(250mm), Dense Bituminous Macadam with Wearing Coat
(140mm), the penetration rate increased (20.2cms) with less
number of blows (21 blows) after 533mm depth. Within
533mm depth, the minimum and maximum penetration values
for a single blow are 0 mm and 5mm respectively. As per the
Figure 3. DCP Results for Selected Chainages code provisions the permissible penetration value for a single
From the above graph it is observed that, the rate of blow is 5mm.
penetration is uniform up to a depth of 528mm for 200 blows. Conclusion
From there, the rate of penetration increased adversely due to Based on the filled investigation and analysis in this paper
the reason that the cone of the Dynamic Cone Penetrometer the nominal effects of pavement roughness on vehicle-
entered the subgrade soil. As the subgrade soil is soft pavement interaction are demonstrated. In this investigation it
compared to the above layers, i.e. The granular sub-base is observed that the maximum characteristic rut depth is 9.42
(200mm), Wet mix Macadam (250mm), Dense Bituminous mm. This value is well within the limit of permissible value
Macadam with Wearing Coat (140mm), the penetration rate given by IRC 37 -2002. It is concluded that the rate of rut
increased (8.5cm) with less number of blows (13 blows) after depth progression is relatively increasing, and it has increased
528mm depth. Within 528mm depth, the minimum and from 5 mm to 9.42 mm since the last 10 months. It is further
maximum penetration values for a single blow are 0 mm and concluded that the traffic volume on this road is comparatively
4mm respectively. As per the code provisions the permissible high compared to the last year traffic data . Especially
penetration value for a single blow is 5mm. commercial vehicles per day is very high. By conducting the
DCP test it is conclude that the strength of the existing road is
good.
References
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Model For Predicting Pavement Serviceability.” J. Transp.
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