The use of stabilized sub-bases for road pavements reduces or prevents the deterioration that is a consequence of poor material selection, difficult construction conditions and, in some cases, a low standard of construction quality control. Mitigation of these problems is important for both flexible and rigid pavements. In addition, when a stabilized sub-base is used below an unbound road base, the reflection cracking that often leads to the premature failure of the asphalt surfacing is prevented. This paper describes the early performance of a full-scale flexible pavement trial that was built to evaluate the performance of alternative pavement and material designs using stabilized sub-bases below a crushed stone road base, and compares it with that of a traditional pavement design in use in the Philippines. The key variables in the research are the thickness of the stabilized layer, which was varied continuously along each trial section, and the strength of the sub-base layer, which was varied in different sections. The trial pavement carries heavy traffic. Early conclusions are drawn which suggest that the use of stabilized sub-bases significantly extends the life of the pavement. (a) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD abstract no. E214938.
Abstract