0-6839: Designing Pavements to Support the Heavy Loads in the Energy Development Areas

Abstract

0-6839In recent years, rapid energy development in Texas has caused significant damage to many farm-to-market (FM) roads, which traditionally have a thin asphalt surface layer plus a stabilized base directly over the subgrade. These roadways were often rehabilitated with full-depth reclamation (FDR), and often 2 to 3 percent cement was added to the pulverized existing materials. These roadways performed well under normal traffic loads but failed dramatically under the energy-sector truck loads. Figure 1 shows the damaged FM roads. The impact of overloading traffic on pavement damage is not only limited to FM roads; it also has significant influence on the pavement life of state highways and even interstate highways. There is an urgent need to repair many of these badly damaged roadways in all energy development areas

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