Performance evaluation of Arizona's LTPP SPS-9 Project : strategic study of flexible pavement mix design factors.

PDFTech ReportFHWA\ubfAZ\ubf16\ubf396(9B)SPR 000\ubf1(147) 396\ubf9BPerformance measurementFlexible pavementsMix designPavement performanceField testsAlternatives analysisPavement distressSoil profilesDeflectionArizonaArizona. Dept. of TransportationPuccinelli, JasonKaramihas, Steven M.{39644Yang, Shih-HsienMinassian, JonathanSenn, KevinNichols Consulting EngineersUniversity of Michigan. Transportation Research InstituteArizona. Dept. of TransportationUnited States. Federal Highway AdministrationUS Transportation CollectionAs part of the Long Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) Program, the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) constructed five Specific Pavement Studies 9 (SPS\u20109) test sections on U.S. Route 93 near Kingman. This project, SPS\u20109B, studied the effect of asphalt specifications and mix designs on flexible pavements, specifically comparing Superpave mix designs with commonly used agency designs. Opened to traffic in 1992, the project was monitored at regular intervals until the pavement was rehabilitated in 2006. Surface distress, profile, and deflection data collected throughout the life of the pavement were used to evaluate the performance of various flexible pavement design features, layer configurations, and thickness. In terms of structural cracking and smoothness, the agency standard mix design performed better than the Superpave mix designs in this study. This report documents the analyses conducted as well as practical findings and lessons learned that will be of interest to ADOT