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6.3.IRC Method

The document summarizes the IRC method of flexible pavement design. It describes flexible pavements as layered structures that carry traffic loads. The IRC method considers three failure modes: fatigue cracking of bituminous layers, permanent deformation of the subgrade, and rutting within bituminous layers. The design life is calculated based on the number of standard axles until fatigue cracking exceeds 20% of the surface area or rutting exceeds 20mm. The example calculates the design life for a subgrade with 10% CBR and 150 million standard axles of traffic.

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126 views24 pages

6.3.IRC Method

The document summarizes the IRC method of flexible pavement design. It describes flexible pavements as layered structures that carry traffic loads. The IRC method considers three failure modes: fatigue cracking of bituminous layers, permanent deformation of the subgrade, and rutting within bituminous layers. The design life is calculated based on the number of standard axles until fatigue cracking exceeds 20% of the surface area or rutting exceeds 20mm. The example calculates the design life for a subgrade with 10% CBR and 150 million standard axles of traffic.

Uploaded by

poiuji jina
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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IRC Method of Flexible Pavement Design

CE 538 Pavement Design and Analysis

Priyansh Singh
Department of Civil Engineering
Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani,
Pilani Campus

28 March 2020

P. Singh BITS Pilani IRC Method 03/2020 1 / 20


What is Pavement ?
Pavement is a layered structure laid on the ground to carry traffic loads

Wheel Load Contact

P0
Soil Strata Bearing
P1 P1 = i × P0
strength of soil is P1

Vertical compres-
sive stress

bearing strength is the maximum pressure which can be supported


without excessive displacement
P. Singh BITS Pilani IRC Method 03/2020 2 / 20
Stress Distribution in Pavement Due to Wheel load

P. Singh BITS Pilani IRC Method 03/2020 3 / 20


Component Layers of Flexible pavement structure

P. Singh BITS Pilani IRC Method 03/2020 4 / 20


What is Pavement?

The structure composed of materials stronger than natural


ground / subgrade and laid over it in layers to protect it from
being overstressed due to vehicle loads is ‘Pavement’

P. Singh BITS Pilani IRC Method 03/2020 5 / 20


Earlier Pavement Design Templet
IRC Flexible Pavement Design -1970

P. Singh BITS Pilani IRC Method 03/2020 6 / 20


Subsection 1
IRC-37-2001 onwards Flexible Pavement Design

P. Singh BITS Pilani IRC Method 03/2020 7 / 20


IRC 37 Flexible Pavement

Design approach

1. It is an analytical approach

IRC 37 -2001, 2007, 2012, 2018, Guidelines for the design of flexible pavements, Indian Road Congress

P. Singh BITS Pilani IRC Method 03/2020 8 / 20


IRC 37 Flexible Pavement

Design approach

1. It is an analytical approach

2. Stresses caused by traffic loads in the pavement layers are


considered.

IRC 37 -2001, 2007, 2012, 2018, Guidelines for the design of flexible pavements, Indian Road Congress

P. Singh BITS Pilani IRC Method 03/2020 8 / 20


IRC 37 Flexible Pavement

Design approach

1. It is an analytical approach

2. Stresses caused by traffic loads in the pavement layers are


considered.

3. Three modes of failure are identified for design. They are (see
next slides)

IRC 37 -2001, 2007, 2012, 2018, Guidelines for the design of flexible pavements, Indian Road Congress

P. Singh BITS Pilani IRC Method 03/2020 8 / 20


Modes of Pavement failure
Fatigue cracking of bituminous layers
Due to high horizontal tensile strains occurring at the bottom
of bituminous layers

Permanent deformation or rutting


caused by high vertical compressive strains on subgrade.

Permanent deformation within the bituminous layers


Viscous deformation of bituminous mix

P. Singh BITS Pilani IRC Method 03/2020 9 / 20


IRC Method: Failure Criterion 1
Bottom-up Fatigue cracking of Bituminous layers

P. Singh BITS Pilani IRC Method 03/2020 10 / 20


be more significant. This phase is considered to
IRC Method: Failure Criteria 2 & 3
the greater part of the lifetime of a pavement. the densification under the wheel path might not
Subgrade Rutting and Asphalt Mix Rutting be representative of the deformation behavior for
have shown that the shear strength of asphalt
in resisting rutting. Laboratory investigation Studies [Harvey et al. 2009, White et al. 2002]
the asphalt concrete mix can reduce surface concrete pavements is a fundamental property
d the importance of the shear resistance of indicated that improving the shear strength of
ng deformation of the pavement. rutting and some design agencies acknowledg
Subgrade Rutting failure Bituminous
asphalt mix Rutting
mixes as a fundamental failure
property in resist
criterion 2 criterion 3

Weak Asphalt Layer

Weak Subgrade Layer

Figure 3.4 Modes of rut failure

Permanent deformation (rutting) of asphalt p


avements has a major impact on pavement
performance. It doesn’t influence immediately th
structural capacity of the pavement, but it can
shorten significantly the useful service life of the
pavement,
P. Singh besides causing
BITS Pilani an important
IRC Method 03/2020 loss in 11 / 20
the riding quality of the road, by affecting v
IRC 37 Flexible Pavement

Design approach

1. The first two modes of failure are only considered for pavement
design

P. Singh BITS Pilani IRC Method 03/2020 12 / 20


IRC 37 Flexible Pavement

Design approach

1. The first two modes of failure are only considered for pavement
design

2. The third mode of failure is required to be taken care of by


appropriate asphalt mix design.

P. Singh BITS Pilani IRC Method 03/2020 12 / 20


Design approach

The two Failure criteria are quantified further for design as

1. Tensile cracking of bituminous layers as reflected on the


pavement surface, not to exceed 20% of surface area.

P. Singh BITS Pilani IRC Method 03/2020 13 / 20


Design approach

The two Failure criteria are quantified further for design as

1. Tensile cracking of bituminous layers as reflected on the


pavement surface, not to exceed 20% of surface area.

2. Permanent deformation of Subgrade, reflected on the pavement


surface as rutting, not to exceed 20 mm.

P. Singh BITS Pilani IRC Method 03/2020 13 / 20


Design life calculation

Tensile cracking failure (80% reliability)

Nf = 2.21 × 10−4 × [(1/t )3.89 ) × (1/MR )0.854 ]


Nf : Number of standard axles for 20% cracked surface area

Subgrade Rutting failure (80% reliability)

Nr = 4.1656 × 10−8 × (1/z )4.5337


Nr : Number of standard axles to produce rutting of 20 mm

P. Singh BITS Pilani IRC Method 03/2020 14 / 20


Design life calculation
Example design: Subgrade CBR 10%; Traffic 150 Msa

P. Singh BITS Pilani IRC Method 03/2020 15 / 20


Design life calculation

Using these values of t and z


1. The fatigue life (Nf ) is 163 Msa (design life)
2. The subgrade rutting life (Nr ) is 1209 Msa
3. Expected pavement design life > 150 Msa for the selected
pavement composition

P. Singh BITS Pilani IRC Method 03/2020 16 / 20


Design life calculation

Tensile cracking failure (90% reliability)

Nf = 0.711 × 10−4 × [(1/t )3.89 ) × (1/MR )0.854 ]


Nf (90) = 0.3217 × Nf (80)

Subgrade Rutting failure (90% reliability)

Nr = 1.41 × 10−8 × (1/z )4.5337


Nr (90) = 0.3385 × Nr (80)

P. Singh BITS Pilani IRC Method 03/2020 17 / 20


Design life calculation

80% reliability
Nf (80) = 163 Msa (design life)
Nr (80) = 1209 Msa

90% reliability
Nf (90) = 53 Msa (design life) FAIL<- Review the thickness
Nr (90) = 409 Msa

P. Singh BITS Pilani IRC Method 03/2020 18 / 20


Design life calculation
Example design: Subgrade CBR 10%; Traffic 150 Msa

t = 131x10−6 z = 186x10−6
P. Singh BITS Pilani IRC Method 03/2020 19 / 20
Design life calculation

Using revised values of t and z


1. The fatigue life (Nf (90)) is 156 Msa (design life)
2. The subgrade rutting life (Nr (90)) is 1140 Msa
3. Expected pavement design life > 150 Msa for the selected
pavement composition

P. Singh BITS Pilani IRC Method 03/2020 20 / 20

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