Thaw weakening of pavement structures in cold regions

In regions of seasonal frost the integrity of pavement structures is dependent on the resistance of base and subbase soils to frost action. This note describes the results of performing the U.S. Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory CRREL II laboratory freezing test on a crushed limestone with a varying fines content. Frost heave increased linearly as fines content increased. Under the CRREL frost susceptibility criterion, the crushed gravel was satisfactory with up to 8% fines. A greater fines content resulted in an unsatisfactory classification. Key words: frost susceptibility, fines content, road base.

Download Full-text

Flexible pavements in cold regions: a geotechnical perspective

Canadian Geotechnical Journal ◽

10.1139/t99-127 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 37 (3) ◽

pp. 689-699 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Jean-Marie Konrad ◽

Marius Roy

Keyword(s):

Flexible Pavements ◽

Field Observations ◽

Freezing And Thawing ◽

Cold Regions ◽

Capillary Action ◽

Subgrade Soils ◽

Swelling Mechanism ◽

Zone Ii ◽

Pavement Structures ◽

Frost Penetration

This paper summarizes recent research on the behaviour of flexible pavements in cold regions. One of the major objectives is to show that basic geotechnical engineering principles can be extremely useful for the analysis of pavement structures subjected to freezing and thawing. The frost susceptibility of subgrade soils should be analyzed for three distinct zones: (i) unsaturated zone, (ii) zone saturated by capillary action, and (iii) zone below the water table. Field observations on instrumented highway sections suggest the existence of a swelling mechanism during thaw in subgrade soils well below the maximum frost penetration. The magnitude of strength reduction associated with this swelling phenomenon depends on the frost susceptibility and the swelling index of the subgrade soil.Key words: frost susceptibility, subgrade, saturation, swelling, strength, field observations.

Download Full-text

Physical and economic impacts of studded tyre use on pavement structures in cold climates

Transportation Safety and Environment ◽

10.1093/tse/tdab022 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 3 (4) ◽

Author(s):

Osama A Abaza ◽

Mahmoud Arafat ◽

Muhammad Saif Uddin

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle Cost ◽

Economic Impacts ◽

Cost Effective ◽

Cold Regions ◽

Wear Rates ◽

The Public ◽

Average Wear ◽

Pavement Structures ◽

The Impact

ABSTRACT In cold regions like Alaska of USA, Canada and the northern parts of Europe, using studded tyres is common among the public when driving in icy and snowy conditions. However, studded tyres cause extensive wear to asphalt pavement, reducing pavement life. This study addresses the physical and economic impacts of winter studded tyres on the roadway system to better inform decision makers as they develop alternative solutions and future polices. The approach is applied in a case study from a sample of Alaska statewide road segments. Surveys were employed to examine the extent of the use of studded tyres and cost-effective alternatives. A pavement life-cycle cost review was established considering several variables to discover a realistic cost of roadway resurfacing and rehabilitation. Wear rates due to studded tyres and rut rates due to wheel loads were found for different highway classes. The results indicate higher average wear rates due to studded passenger vehicles on freeways than average rut rates due to heavy wheel loads. The results also indicate lower average wear rates on arterial and collector roads. The estimates show that studded tyre use reduced asphalt surface life by about 7 years on the selected freeway sample in the case study, which is about 47% loss in pavement life based on the initial design life of 15 years. Other road classes experienced lower reductions in service life. Finally, cost analysis was provided to reflect the impact of studded tyres on the state's budget. Countermeasures were suggested, which in turn may help other cold regions develop strategies on the use of new winter tyre technology.

Download Full-text