MECHANISTIC METHOD OF PAVEMENT OVERLAY DESIGN

This paper presents a synopsis of a comprehensive procedure for the rehabilitation design of overlays of both flexible and rigid pavements. The procedure includes an evaluation of the existing pavement by using modern nondestructive deflection testing, condition surveys, and materials sampling and testing. The analytical model on which the computer method is based is elastic-layer theory. This model is used in both the pavement-evaluation and the overlay-thickness analyses. This design and evaluation analysis is unique for various categories of pavement condition. The final overlay thicknesses are selected on the basis of fatigue and rutting criteria where applicable. The entire procedure is automated in a series of three computer programs. /Author/