Bituminous Pavement

Distresses: Causes and Cures Bituminous Pavement

Distresses
By Can be minimized if basic
Prof. Prithvi Singh Kandhal requirements for flexible
Associate Director Emeritus pavements are met
National Center for Asphalt Technology
Auburn University, Alabama USA
pkandhal@gmail.com

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Basic Requirements for Flexible General Causes of Bituminous

Pavements Pavement Distresses
Drainage, drainage, drainage Poor quality of materials and construction
Sufficient thickness and internal strength to carry Inadequate pavement thickness
expected traffic loads
Amount of traffic and its rate of loading
Adequately dense to prevent penetration of
moisture from underneath, sides, and surface Aging of asphalt binders
Top surface which is smooth; waterproof; skid Effect of climate
resistant; resistant to wear, distortion, and
deterioration by weather

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Typical Distresses in Typical Distresses in

Bituminous Pavements Bituminous Pavements (Cont.)
Distress Mode Distress Manifestation Distress Mode Distress Manifestation
Fracture Cracking Disintegration Raveling Cracking of Bituminous
load associated (fatigue) Scaling
non-load associated Stripping Pavements
reflection Potholes
Spalling
Distortion Permanent Deformation Other Reduced skid resistance
densification Riding quality-roughness
creep (rutting/shoving/
corrugations)
swelling/frost
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 Load Associated (Fatigue)
Cracking
Also called alligator or map cracking
Loads too heavy for the pavement structure
Too many repetitions of load more than design
Inadequate support (pavement layers/subgrade)
Poor drainage
Very stiff binder in surface course
Occurs in wheel path, potholes develop in
advanced stage

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Non-Load Associated
(Thermal) Cracking
Transverse cracks occur at regular intervals
Asphalt binder too stiff at low service
temperatures
Rapid chilling of the road surface
Highly temperature susceptible asphalt binder
Subgrade type (more on sandy)
Age of the pavement

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 Longitudinal Joint Cracking
Longitudinal Cracking
Occurs parallel to the center line of roadway

Center Line Joint (Longitudinal Joint)

Joint between adjacent lanes
Density gradient across the joint
Low density - low tensile strength
Edge Cracking
Lack of lateral (shoulder) support
Settlement of widened pavement
Poor drainage (ditches)
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Asphalt Pavement Edge Cracking

Block Cracking
Both transverse and longitudinal cracking
Most often on low volume roads/parking lots
Thixotropic hardening (structuring) of asphalt
binder due to lack of traffic and heat

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Reflection Cracking
Discontinuities in the underlying layers propagate
through the asphalt surface due to movement of
cracks
Discontinuities
Cracks or joints in underlying concrete pavement
Cracks in soil-cement base course
All types of cracks in the existing bituminous
pavement
Causes
Thermal (movement of joints/cracks)
Load

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 Treatment for Cracks
Cracks should be sealed as soon as
possible so that there is no water
penetration in the pavement, which mat
cause further damage
Asphalt-rubber is considered best
material for sealing cracks

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Rutting
Spalling is about to Spalling has taken place.
Lack of adequate subgrade support
take place between It can be fixed with
Unstable asphalt course(s)
parallel cracks asphalt mix patch repair.
- Poor mix design
- Rounded aggregate
- Excessive asphalt binder
Stripping in asphalt courses

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Sometimes (not always) bleeding precedes rutting

Treatment for Bleeding
Apply hot sand and roll it during hot weather
to blot out extra asphalt binder at the surface
Place surface dressing on the bleeding asphalt
surface
Place slurry seal on the bleeding asphalt
surface

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 Rutting Resulting from Subgrade Rutting within Asphalt Courses

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Rutting has taken place in the binder course and

not in the wearing course

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Slippage Cracking
Treatment for Rutting
Plastic movement - Depression in the Wheel
Associated with slippage mechanism
Path with Humps in Either Side
First determine the cause(s) and location Poor bond between the surface layer and
of rutting underlying layer
Any layer exhibiting rutting must be Too much or too little tack coat
Consolidation/Densification -Depression in the
Wheel Path Without Any Humps
removed (milled) completely and Steep grades/intersections
replaced with more stable mix course Acceleration/braking exert surface traction forces
U-shaped
Mechanical Deformation - Subsidence or
Patch repairs needed in area with slippage crack
Densification in the Unbound Base or Subgrade
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Checking Corrugations
Lack of bond between asphalt courses
Unstable surface course mix
Braking and accelerating action near
intersections
Areas with corrugations have to be milled off
and replaced with highly stable asphalt mix

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Raveling
Progressive disintegration of asphalt surface as a
result of dislodgment of aggregate particles in
the mix
Lack of sufficient cohesion due to low in-place
density
Lack of fines in the asphalt mix matrix,
especially in coarse, segregated areas
Aging of asphalt binder

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 Treatment for Raveling
Following treatments are suggested in order of
severity of raveling from slight to severe
Apply fog seal with diluted emulsified asphalt
binder
Apply slurry seal/microsurfacing
Overlay with dense graded asphalt mix

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Scaling of Wearing Course from Binder Course Stripping

(If isolated, do patch repairs; if extensive mill off the wearing
Breaking of adhesive bond between the aggregate
course)
surface and asphalt binder usually in presence
of moisture
Inadequate pavement drainage system
Mixes with excessive air voids (poor
compaction), and low asphalt binder content
Incompatible aggregate surface and asphalt
binder, asphalt binder displaced by water
Excessive pore pressure induced by traffic
Spontaneous emulsification of binder by water
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Classic Signs of Stripping: White Spots Followed by Bottom of Binder Course Showing Stripped
Bleeding and then Pothole Aggregate

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 Potholes may result form stripping
Bottom of Binder Course Showing Stripped Skid Resistance
Aggregate
Friction between the tire and road surface. Quantified
by Friction Number (FN). Critical when surface is
wet; makes it very slippery.
Causes for Low FNs
Flushing/bleeding of asphalt surface
Inadequate microtexture (aggregate property)
- aggregate prone to polishing
Inadequate macrotexture (mix property)
- no drainage channels
- causes hydroplaning
- important at high speeds

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Slippery Asphalt Wearing Course due to Polished

Aggregate Treatment for Bituminous
Pavement with Polished Aggregate
All treatments should use polish-resistant
aggregate
Apply slurry seal/microsurfacing
Apply surface dressing
Overlay with new asphalt mix

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Look
for the
Unusual!

QUESTIONS?

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