Evolution of Highway Failures and Their Maintenance: I R J E T (Irjet)
Evolution of Highway Failures and Their Maintenance: I R J E T (Irjet)
M. Tech Scholar1, Asst Professor2, Department of Civil Engineering, A.M.REDDY Memorial College of Engineering
and Technology, Narasaraopet (M),Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India
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ABSTRACT: A well-developed transportation infrastructure is essential for economic, industrial, social and cultural
development of a country. Due to this need, human being has developed three modes of transport, i.e., by land, by water
and by air. The road network has expanded from 4 lakh km in 1947 to 20 lakh km in 1993 and almost 55 lakh kms as on 31
March, 2015. India has less than 3.8 kms of road per 1000 people; including all its paved and unpaved roads. In terms of
quality, all season, four or more lane highways; India has less than 0.07 kms of highway per 1000 people as of 2010.
Inadequate maintenance of roads accounts to an act of disinvestment and sacrifice of past investment in roads. Roads have
been receiving decreasing share of total Five Year Plan expenditure (decreasing from 6.7% in first plan to 3% in second
plan). The Vehicle Operating Cost increases at a rapid rate as the condition of existing pavements starts deteriorating. The
loss due to bad conditions of the main road network would be around Rs.12000 crore per annum. Pavement structure can
be destroyed in a single season due to water penetration. Defects in flexible pavements is a problem of multiple
dimensions, phenomenal growth of vehicular traffic (in terms of no. of axle loading of commercial vehicles), the rapid
expansion in the road network, non-availability of suitable technology, material, equipment, skilled labour and poor funds
allocation have all added complexities to the problem flexible pavements. Maintenance of a road network involves a
variety of operations, i.e., identification of deficiencies and planning, programming and scheduling for actual
implementation in the field and monitoring. The essential objective should be to keep the road surface and appurtenances
in good condition and to extend the life of the road assets to its design life. The purpose of the proposed study is to discuss
the possible causes of pavement failures, and recommends better ways to minimize and hopefully eliminate the causes of
failures in pavements.
1. INTRODUCTION and ruts for paved roads. They include repairing pot
holes, surface patching, sealing of cracks and
1.1 General
Road surface marking. Transportation contributes to the
From the beginning of history, human sensitivity has economic, industrial, social and cultural development of
revealed an urge for mobility leading to a measure of any country. Transportation is vital for the economic
Society's progress. The history of this mobility or development of any region since every commodity
transport is the history of civilization. For any country to produced whether it is food, clothing, industrial products
develop with right momentum modern and efficient or medicine needs transport at production and
Transport as a basic infrastructure is a must. Transport distribution stages. The inadequate transportation
(British English) or transportation (American English) facilities retard the process of socio-economic
is the movement of people and goods from one place to development of the country. The adequacy of
another. The term is derived from the Latin trans transportation system of a country indicates its
("across") and portare ("to carry"). economic and social development.
A road network system is perhaps one of the most India is a vast country having extreme variation in
important necessities for the economic development of climatic conditions. North-Eastern region gets very
any country, particularly developing countries. Many of heavy rainfall and annual rainfall as much as 600 cm per
developing countries, therefore, invest huge amount on year has been recorded, whereas the deserts of Western
road construction, while many developing countries India get very less rainfall. Even in a particular area the
appreciate the necessity for huge investment in capital difference between maximum and minimum
development of roads. Only a few give due importance to temperature of the year may be as high as 420c. North
the road maintenance. It is found more glamorous to India experiences heavy snowfall during winter at
embark on new construction than to maintain what is altitudes above 2000m. These climatic conditions have
already in existence. But unfortunately pavement great influence on the type of problems existing on the
structure can be destroyed in a single season due to road as only 47% are surfaced roads, balance being
water penetration. Maintenance activities may be earthen roads.
required at intervals throughout the year, but their
frequency varies with traffic, topography and climatic
conditions, type of roads, grading and repairing pot holes
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1. Connection to villages.
Engineers have been always with open mind to adopt Figure 1. Pavement Layers
any material available to them for its use for the
construction purposes. It is logical to see that the 2. LITERATURE REVIEW
purpose of highway construction is to provide a firm and
even surface for the carriageway or the pavement which Zulufqar Bin Rashid1, Dr. Rakesh Gupta emphasised on
could stand the stress caused due to number of load the parameters influencing the performance of
applications. pavements and to identify them. For efficient
maintenance of road pavements, the deficiencies in our
1.3 Types of Pavements existing highway system need to be clearly understood.
Proper design, regular inspection and maintenance of
The term pavement ordinarily means the surfacing layer pavement is of utmost importance and in preserving the
only. But in highway design, it means the total thickness investment made on highway system and in providing
of pavement including surfacing, base and sub base if comfort and safety to the road user.
any. It is a hard crust constructed over the natural soil
for the purpose of providing stable and even surface for DR. NDEFO OKIGBO studied the conditions of the roads
the vehicles. It is therefore a structure consisting of in Nigeria and their effects to the citizen, government
superimposed layers of materials above the natural soil and the economy of the country. Some of the identified
subgrade, whose primary function is to distribute the causes were; poor design and construction, poor
applied vehicle loads to the subgrade. The pavement maintenance of already built highways, use of low
structure should be able to provide a surface of quality materials in construction, poor workmanship and
acceptable riding quality, adequate skid resistance and poor supervision of construction work. Some of the
low noise pollution. recommendations to remedy the situation are; Use of the
appropriate design of the roads, avoiding unnecessary
From the point of view of structural performance, congestion of the roads especially heavy traffics that
pavements can be classified as: were not meant for the roads in the first place, prompt
maintenance of the roads, application of suitable
Flexible construction material in the construction.
Rigid
Semi-rigid Mr. Devidas Chavade, Mr. Kedarnath worked on the on-
Composite going researches about the defects in Flexible and Rigid
pavement and the maintenance in Flexible and Rigid
pavements. The essential objective should be to keep the
road surface and appurtenances in good condition and to
extend the life of the road assets to its design life.
Broadly, the activities include identification of defects
and the possible cause there off, determination of
appropriate remedial measures; implement these in the
field and monitoring of the results.
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low tire/road traction, difficulty for detecting roadway alignment, vertical alignment, intersections, and various
boundaries and obstacles buried in or obscured by snow. design details. These basic elements are common to all
linear facilities, such as roadways, railways, and airport
SurajoAbubakar Wada worked on road detoriation. Road runways and taxiways. Although the details of design
deterioration is a critical situation for road sector standards vary with the mode and the class of facility,
because of the high cost for construction of new roads most of the issues involved in geometric design are
and maintenance of existing roads and routes. Therefore, similar for all modes. In all cases, the goals of geometric
better funding and management should be provided in design are to maximize the comfort, safety, and economy
order to keep the pavements in good condition and from of facilities, while minimizing their environ-mental
getting damaged due to the aforementioned distresses. impacts. This chapter focuses on the fundamentals of
geometric design, and presents standards and examples
3. HIGHWAY PLANNING & DESIGNING from different modes.
Highway design is only one element in the overall The geometric design of highways deals with the
highway development process. Historically, detailed dimensions and layout of visible features of the highway.
design occurs in the middle of the process, linking the The features normally considered are the cross section
preceding phases of planning and project development elements, sight distance consideration, horizontal
with the subsequent phases of right-of-way acquisition, curvature, gradients, and intersection. The design of
construction, and maintenance. It is during the first three these features is to a great extend influenced by driver
stages, planning, project development, and design, that behaviour and psychology, vehicle characteristics, traffic
designers and communities, working together, can have characteristics such as speed and volume. Proper
the greatest impact on the final design features of the geometric design will help in the reduction of accidents
project. In fact, the flexibility available for highway and their severity. Therefore, the objective of geometric
design during the detailed design phase is limited a great design is to provide optimum efficiency in traffic
deal by the decisions made at the earlier stages of operation and maximum safety at reasonable cost.
planning and project development.
The planning cannot be done stage wise like that of a
3.1 The Stages of Highway Development pavement, but has to be done well in advance. The main
components that will be discussed are:
Although the names may vary by State, the five basic
stages in the highway development process are: 1. Factors affecting the geometric design,
planning, project development (preliminary design),
final design, right of way, and construction. After 2. Highway alignment, road classification,
construction is completed, on-going operation and
maintenance activities continue throughout the life of 3. Pavement surface characteristics,
the facility.
4. Cross-section elements including cross slope,
various widths of roads and features in the road
margins.
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driver, terrain etc., a design speed is adopted for all the 1. Cracks:
geometric design. Alligator Cracking
Longitudinal Cracking
Topography: It is easier to construct roads with Block Cracking
required standards for a plain terrain. However, for a Edge Cracking
given design speed, the construction cost increases multi Centre Cracking
form with the gradient and the terrain. 2. Rutting and Shoving:
Traffic factors: It is of crucial importance in highway Rutting Classification
design, is the traffic data both current and future Shoving
estimates. Traffic volume indicates the level of services 3. Pot Holes and Patching:
(LOS) for which the highway is being planned and Pot Holes
directly affects the geometric features such as width, Patch Deterioration and Repairs
alignment, grades etc., without traffic data it is very 4. Bleeding, Revelling and Weathering:
difficult to design any highway Bleeding
Revelling and Weathering
Design Hourly Volume and Capacity: The general unit 5. Miscellaneous Type of Defects:
for measuring traffic on highway is the Annual Average Polished Aggregates
Daily Traffic volume, abbreviated as AADT. The traffic Corrugations
flow (or) volume keeps fluctuating with time, from a low
value during off peak hours to the highest value during 4.2 Types of Distresses/Failures and Definitions:
the peak hour. It will be uneconomical to design the
roadway facilities for the peak traffic flow. 1. Longitudinal Cracking: These are cracks parallel to
the pavement centreline or lay down direction, which
Environmental and other factors: - The environmental may eventually lead to moisture infiltration, roughness,
factors like air pollution, noise pollution, landscaping, and may indicate the possible onset of alligator cracking
aesthetics and other global conditions should be given and structural failure. The possible causes include poor
due considerations in the geometric design of roads. drainage, shoulder settlement, weak joints between
adjoining spread of pavement layers or differential frost
4. HIGHWAY PAVEMENT FAILURE heave. The possible treatment depends on whether the
pavement is structurally sound or unsound. Where the
A highway pavement is a structure consisting of pavement is structurally sound, the cracks should be
superimposed layers of processed materials above the filled with low viscosity binder or slurry seal or fog seal
natural soil sub-grade, whose primary function is to depending on the width of the cracks. Unsound cracked
distribute the applied vehicle loads to the sub-grade. The pavements would need strengthening or rehabilitation
pavement structure should be able to provide a surface treatment.
of acceptable riding quality, adequate skid resistance,
favourable light reacting characteristics, and low noise
pollution. The major Flexible pavement failures are
fatigue cracking, rutting, and thermal cracking. The
fatigue cracking of flexible pavement is due to horizontal
tensile strain at the bottom of the asphaltic concrete. The
failure criterion relates allowable number of load
repetitions to tensile strain and this relation can be
determined in the laboratory fatigue test on asphaltic
concrete specimens. Rutting occurs only on flexible
pavements as indicated by permanent deformation or
rut depth along wheel load path. Two design methods Figure 3. Longitudinal cracking on road
have been used to control rutting: one to limit the
vertical compressive strain on the top of sub-grade and 2. Fatigue Cracking: Cracks in asphalt layers that are
other to limit rutting to a tolerable amount (12 mm caused by repeated traffic loadings. The cracks indicate
normally. Thermal cracking includes both low fatigue failure of the asphalt layer. When cracking is
temperature cracking and thermal fatigue cracking. characterized by interconnected cracks, the cracking
pattern resembles that of an alligator’s skin or chicken
4.1 Common Flexible Pavement Failure/ Distresses: wire. Therefore, it is also referred to as alligator
cracking.
Various defects in flexible pavements have been seen
and those are listed below:
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Figure 5. Block cracking on road 7. Reflection Cracking: Cracks in HMA overlay surfaces
that occur over joints in concrete or over cracks in HMA
4. Edge Cracking: Crescent-shaped cracks or fairly pavements.
continuous cracks that intersect the pavement edge and
are located within 2 feet of the pavement edge, adjacent
to the unpaved shoulder. Includes longitudinal cracks
outside of the wheel path and within 2 feet of the
pavement edge.
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9. Shoving: It is a form of plastic movement resulting 12. Delamination: Loss of a large area of pavement
into localized bulging of surface. Shoving occurs surface. Usually there is a clear separation of the
characteristically at points where traffic starts or stops pavement surface from the layer below. Slippage
or at sharp curves. Shoving is shown in photographs. cracking may often occur as a result of poor bonding or
adhesion between layers.
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18. Pumping: Seeping or ejection of water and fines Figure 21. Checking on road
from beneath the pavement through cracks.
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21. Bleeding/Flushing: Excess bituminous binder as constructed or as subsequently improved and the
occurring on the pavement surface. May create a shiny, operation of highway facilities and services to provide
glass-like, reflective surface that may be tacky to the satisfactory and safe transportation, is called
touch. Usually found in the wheel paths. maintenance of Highways.
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5.2.3 Bridge maintenance: Bridges maintenance is a To provide temporary cover in case of delayed
major part of highway maintenance. Bridges can be incomplete pavement.
maintained in good condition by following the below
guidelines: In Highway Maintenance, for good surface treatment it
is necessary to following the below rules.
Exposed steel work must be cleaned by sand
blasting flame or other means followed by Base course is well prepared to its profile and is
repainting. made freer from pot holes and ruts.
Deck joint may extrude or become filled with Excellence of surface dressing depends upon the
dirt so that cleaning and resealing is necessary correct proportion of binder aggregate.
Out of control vehicle, causing damage to guard Before laying that first surface dressing coat, the
rail, must be Repaired and strengthened. base should be made free from all dust loose soil
If bridge deck become rough resurfacing is etc.
required In all bituminous construction it is necessary
Remedial measures to correct serious scour that the newly surface possess a bond with the
around and under piers and abutments. existing base at the interface. It is also necessary
that the base is nearly impervious.
5.2.4 Traffic services: Include stripping, sign repair
and maintenance (particularly needed for repair after 5.4 Mowing
stormy weather.
Vegetation along the right-of-way will be mowed for the
5.3 Surface treatment of highways: following reasons:
Although the best type of surface course is pre-mix Eliminate obstructions to sight distance on
carpet for highway maintenance; curves.
Control weed and brush growth.
1. Intensity of traffic is not very high. Reduce snow drifting on the roadway.
2. The pro-mix mixers are not easily available due Provide for unobstructed drainage.
to long transportation or technical reasons. Reduce the fire hazard in some areas.
3. When the cost is high. The surface treatment Improve road aesthetics.
methods are employed. The surface treatment Eliminate obstruction to signs.
may be single or multiple. Increase the visibility of large animals on the
right-of-way.
5.3.1 Single Surface Treatment: Is wearing course in
which the bituminous material is sprayed and the All high traffic volume highways will receive one
aggregate is placed uniformly over the applied bitumen shoulder cut in the late spring and an additional full
mineral. The thickness of such layer approximate the right-of-way cut. All other provincial highways in Alberta
nominal size of aggregate used. will receive up to 2 shoulder cuts per year (as required)
and a full right-of-way cut once every 3 years or as
5.3.2 Multiple Surface Treatments :( Double or Triple)
warranted for brush control purposes. The first shoulder
is a wearing surface in which a course aggregate is
cut will be 4.5 metres in width and should be completed
placed on bitumen coat (prime coat) already applied,
during the early summer months. The second shoulder
followed by spraying of bitumen and then by subsequent
cut or full cut may be warranted in the late fall,
application of finer aggregate over a second bitumen
depending on re-growth. Where required, trimming
coat. Generally the minimum size of the smallest
around all appurtenances located adjacent to the
aggregate is one of the aggregate used in the preceding
highway will be carried out during the second cut. In
application usually thickness of single layer
urban Areas the mowing of boulevards and raised
approximately maximum size of aggregate.
medians will be the responsibility of the municipality.
5.3.3 Function of surface treatment: The department will discuss their area’s mowing plans
and arrangements with local municipal officials. Where
To provide long lasting economical surface for possible, the department will try to coordinate their
granular base road having light and medium operations with that of the municipalities.
traffic volume.
To prevent entry of surface water into old 5.5 Drainage systems:
pavement that has been weathered or cracked.
As flowing water can be one of the greatest natural
It improves the skid resistance of bitumen destructive forces affecting a road, it is very important
surface where the surface has polished under that all structures and other features of the drainage
traffic. system are well designed and properly maintained. In
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order to maintain a roadway in optimum condition, problems or builds to a height that it renders the guard
water must be kept from saturating the subgrade and ineffective. Repairs to guard and associated fencing are
also from eroding the roadway. Drainage systems done as required.
include the following components:
6. CONCLUSIONS
Ditches
Culverts Engineers have been always with open mind to adopt
Ditch Blocks any material available to them for its use for the
Curbs/Gutters construction purposes. It is logical to see that the
Down Drains purpose of highway construction is to provide a firm and
even surface for the carriageway or the pavement which
Subsurface Drains
could stand the stress caused due to number of load
Bridges
applications.
Each spring, the department will update and prioritize
Following conclusions have been drawn based on the
the culvert maintenance program. This program will
present study:
describe any drainage system deficiencies and identify
what corrective action needs to be taken. Proper design, regular inspection and maintenance
of drainage system is of utmost importance in
5.6 Traffic control devices
preserving the investment made on highway system
5.6.1 Signing: Signs are used to inform motorists of and in providing comfort and safety to the road user.
traffic regulations, warn of changes in the roadway
The classifications of all types of distresses have
characteristics or hazards, and to provide
been identified. The cause and treatment is different
directional/distance information that is necessary to
for different severity levels of each distress.
motorists.
The defects in existing highway system and in
All highways should be checked on a regular basis to
maintenance practices must be clearly understood
ensure that all signs are properly in place, functional and
and eradicated.
conform to established standards. In addition to daytime
inspections, night inspections should be carried out The influencing parameters considered in this study
regularly to ensure that signs are reflective and legible are cracks and cracking pattern, roughness, pot
during hours of darkness. Lighting which has been holes and deflections. The above parameters have
installed on overhead sign structures should be been classified according to their severity levels.
inspected regularly to ensure that all fixtures are
operational. Signs larger than 3m2 should be placed on Maintenance decision can be taken based on the
breakaway bases to minimize the potential for injury and criteria of reaching any one or all of the influencing
vehicle damage if struck by vehicles leaving the roadway. parameters to their maximum acceptable limits.
Shear bolts should be checked periodically for proper
torque so that the breakaway feature will function as The small distress (cracking, potholes, shoving,
intended. rutting, etc.) must be repaired before any major
maintenance (overlay, renewal coat) is done. Even
5.6.2 Traffic signals: The function of a traffic control reduced thickness of overlay will show better results
signal is to safely assign the right-of-way between the if minor defects are repaired before overlays are
conflicting flows of traffic at an intersection. Standards done.
related to the installations and operation of traffic
control signals can be found in the Manual of Uniform 7. REFERENCES
Traffic Control Devices for Canada.
Abd El Halim, A.O (1985) 'Influence of Relative
5.6.3 Livestock guards: Livestock guards are used to Rigidity on the Problem on Reflection
prevent domestic and wild animals from entering the Cracking' .TRR 1007, pp: 53-58 USA
roadway. Most livestock guards are installed on
approaches to highways; however, there are a small Abdulkareem Y.A and K.A Adeoti (2004) 'Road
number located on the main highway. The department Maintenance and National Development'.
will maintain and inspect all livestock guards located on National Engineering
the Provincial Highway System. The department shall
inspect the guards to ensure that the guard is carrying Conference, Federal Polytechnic Offa, Kwara
out its intended function of preventing domestic and State Nigeria.
wild animals from entering roadway. Accumulated
debris must be removed before it causes water drainage
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