Deterioration of Asphalt Pavement at Long-Term Pavement Performance Program Site 49-1001 in Utah

Abstract

Highway 191 near Bluff, Utah, features a well-monitored section of the long-term pavement performance (LTPP) program. Constructed in 1980, this section of flexible pavement performed well for nearly 13 years. Through this time, cracking of the asphalt layer was minimal. In the fourteenth year, however, the extent of longitudinal cracking in the wheel path increased and necessitated placement of a chip seal on the pavement surface. The purpose of this research was to determine the cause of pavement deterioration using LTPP data. Deflection basins obtained from falling-weight deflectometer testing were analyzed to investigate the extent to which structural degradation influenced deterioration of the pavement. Pavement layer modulus values were plotted against time and clearly show that weakening of the pavement base layer immediately preceded the occurrence of cracking. The geography of the site, as documented in photographs, supports the conclusion that inadequate water drainage at the site permitted saturation of the aggregate base layer during a period of midsummer flooding. This finding emphasizes the importance of specifying non-moisture-susceptible base materials and providing necessary drainage works in pavement design.