New deterioration models for sealed granular pavements

Abstract

This study developed mechanistic–empirical deterministic-based pavement deterioration models for rutting, roughness and the structural deterioration of typical good-quality sealed granular pavements that are not liable to rapid deterioration at a network level. The models were based on long-term observational deterioration data collected from Australian arterial road sites in several states for up to 16 years. These data was combined with extended observational data from simulation experiments, using accelerated load testing, which separately quantified the impact on pavement deterioration of changes to maintenance treatments and changes to axle loads. The models were developed for predicting deterioration of sealed granular pavements during the gradual deterioration phase. The deterioration models are applicable to road networks for strategic life-cycle costing analyses. The roughness deterioration model can be used in the estimation of heavy vehicle road wear as a basis for heavy vehicle road-user charges.