Pavement Thickness Design Charts Derived from Rut Depth Models Developed for Foamed and Emulsified Sulfur Asphalt Soil Mixes

Abstract

This paper presents the utilization of models already derived from results of dynamic triaxial tests performed on marginal soils (marl and sabkha) stabilized with foamed and emulsified sulfur asphalt. These stabilized materials are considered to be used as base layers in a pavement structure. Permanent strain relations obtained from dynamic triaxial testing were used in VESYS model to predict rutting performance and magnitude. Predicted rutting performance and magnitude were close to the actual rut depth measured during wheel tracking tests to validate the models. These models developed for rutting prediction were used in VESYS 5 W software to forecast the life or the axle passes needed to attain a rut depth delineating the end of life for a variety of pavement thicknesses, and the subgrade soils to create original pavement thickness design charts. Most of the subgrade soils in Saudi Arabia as well as the coastal areas of the Arabian Gulf are usually marl, sabkha or dune sand soils.