Determination of Layers Responsible for Rutting Failure in a Pavement Structure

Abstract

Rutting is one of the most common distresses in asphalt pavements in Zambia. The problem is particularly prevalent at intersections, bus stops, railway crossings, police checkpoints, climbing lanes and other heavily loaded sections, where there is deceleration, slow moving or static loading. The most widely used methods to identify the source of rutting among flexible pavement layers are destructive methods; field trenching and coring methods. The Transverse Profile Analysis method (TPAM), which is a non-destructive method, was suggested by White et al. in 2002 as an alternative method, to avoid the expensive and destructive nature of the traditional methods. In this method, data from the transverse profile of the rutted section is used to deduce the layer of the pavement structure responsible for rutting failure. This study used the TPAM to determine the layers of pavement responsible for rutting on sections of the Chibuluma and Kitwe-Chingola Roads in Zambia. The method was first validated using the trenching method on the Kitwe-Ndola Road. Results from the TPAM showed good comparability with those from the trenching method. It was established that most of the rutting emanated from the surfacing layer. This is consistent with recent research indicating that most rutting occurs in the upper part of the asphalt surfacing. It was also established that the TPAM was a simpler, faster and less costly method of determining the source of rutting failure compared to the traditional methods.

Feasibility of Mobile Laser Scanning towards Operational Accurate Road Rut Depth Measurements

“…In the current operational road inspection, human raters travel all over the road measuring its distress elements, but these surveys are too laborious, slow, costly, and unsafe to perform at the scale of the whole network even if prioritized based on road class or traffic load, and they are prone to subjective errors. For example, manual rut depth measurement is performed by placing a straight edge across a rut and the distance between the straight edge and the rut bottom is measured [ 16 ] as applied also in Gézero and Antunes [ 15 ]. Quantitative analysis of road rut depths is for the most part missing from the scientific literature due to lack of accurate and extensive field reference.…”

Road Rutting Measurement Using Mobile LiDAR Systems Point Cloud

“…Rutting is a longitudinal, permanent pavement deformation along roads created by repetitive vehicle loading in the wheel path. Water accumulation on ruts reduces skid resistance and increases the danger of hydroplaning [1][2][3][4]. Usually, three levels of severity are used for rut classification (low, medium, and high), however, there is no consensus regarding the rut severity classification thresholds among countries and agencies [2,3,5].…”

“…Regardless of the classification values that are used, there is a wide-ranging consensus of the direct correlation between rut depth severity and increased traffic accidents. Therefore, periodical measurement of road rut depth values is essential for road maintenance intervention plans, avoiding road safety degradation and saving money [1][2][3][4][5].…”

“…The manual method to measure the rut depth is performed by placing a straight edge across a rut and measuring the distance between the straight edge and the rut bottom [4]. Along with being a slow procedure, this task usually requires safety measures, which implies use disruptions or even road use interruption.…”

Special Issue: Recent Advances and Future Trends in Pavement Engineering

“…The most widely used methods to identify the source of rutting among flexible pavement layers are destructive methods; field trenching and coring methods. Chilukwa and Lungu [9] used the Transverse Profile Analysis method (TPAM), which is a non-destructive method to determine the layers of pavement responsible for rutting on sections. It was established that the TPAM was a simpler, faster and less costly method of determining the source of rutting failure compared to the traditional methods used in Zambia.…”