A model for predicting flexible pavement performance was developed from AASHO Road Test data. The pavement condition indicator selected for quantifying performance is pavement surface roughness, which correlated highly with pavement serviceability as perceived by the road user. In the development of the model, pavement performance was initially defined as the history of a pavement condition indicator(s) over time or with increasing axle load applications. Consequently, the performance model developed predicts the trend in pavement surface roughness with cumulative axle load applications. Since strain basins provide more information on the pavement response under load than just the maximum pavement response, indices determined from an evaluation of subgrade compressive and asphalt tensile strain basins were evaluated for their utility as performance predictors. The results obtained strongly indicate that strain basin indices are important predictors of the performance of AASHO flexible pavement sections.
Abstract