Learning objectives
Knowledge and understanding:
The goal of the class is to provide to the students the knowledge and the skills to understand mechanical behavior and performances of a pavement and the capability to design and to be able to keep efficient it.
Applying knowledge and understanding:
The student should be able to calculate stress and strain in each layer of a pavement in different cases of vehicle load and temperature. The student should be also able to understand the results of a laboratory test and using them evaluate performances and mechanical characteristics of a material
Making judgments:
The student after the class should be able to decide what kind of pavement structure is necessary for certain in-service conditions. The students should be also able to decide how and when do a rehabilitation and/or a maintenance of a pavement.
Communication skills
The student at the end of the class should be able to make project report and to explain it.
Prerequisites
To attend the class the student have to know mechanics of materials and he have to know the basic concepts related with materials for road constructions.
Course unit content
The class’s program is organized in three thematic areas: pavement materials (conventional and unconventional), pavement design and pavement management.
The area of pavement material include the topics related with mechanical characteristics and performances of the most common materials used for pavement construction. The most common testing protocol are included as well.
The area of pavement design include structural calculation, selection of materials in function of in-situ performances and mix design of stabilized soils, cement treated materials and asphalt mixtures.
The area of pavement management include pavement distress analysis and techniques for pavement rehabilitation, pavement maintenance and pavement preservation.
Full programme
Structure of road embankments
Structure of flexible and semi-rigid pavement
Soil stabilization
Aggregates
Cement treated materials
Bitumen: physical properties, mechanical properties and rheology
Performance Grade of bitumen
Polymer modified bitumen
Bituminous emulsion
Foam bitumen
Asphalt mixtures: design, mechanical characteristics, performances and construction
Cold recycling and hot recycling
Calculation methods for flexible and semi-rigid pavements
Pavement distresses
Pavement preservation, pavement maintenance and pavement rehabilitation.
Bibliography
Pavement analysis and design - Yang Hsien Huang, Prentice Hall
Hot Mix Asphalt Materials, Mixture Design and Construction - National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT).
Teaching methods
The class is composed by a series of lectures each one on a specific topic. PowerPoint presentations are used to visualize and make evident and clear the main things of each topic. The slides are made to be useful for the students as didactical material. All the presentations are provided to the students at the beginning of the course.
Assessment methods and criteria
Oral exam
Other information
Lecture attendance is strongly recommended
