Overloading Analysis of Bituminous Pavements in India Using M-E PDG☆

Abstract Bituminous pavements constructed across India undergo premature failure much before their design life. There could be many reasons attributed to such failure and these include inappropriate selection of materials, lack of dependable traffic and axle load data and limited information related to distresses for analysis. In this paper, using a comprehensive traffic and axle load data and using robust material properties, the distresses of a real-life pavement were quantified. A location along NH 13 which had the maximum overloading was chosen for the analysis. The stress-strain analysis was performed for a trial section using the performance conditions specified in IRC:37-2012. The real time traffic data and climatic conditions pertaining to this location were used for the design. Using such data and appropriate material parameters collected at the pavement engineering laboratory at IIT Madras, proof-checking of the design was carried out using AASHTOWare software. Optimized thicknesses were also obtained for sections suggested by IRC:37-2012.