Learning objectives
The course deals with the technology and engineering of highway construction and basically aims at identifying the main processes and technological controls currently used during construction, maintenance and rehabilitation of transportation infrastructures.
Prerequisites
Construction of Roads, Railways and Airports
Course unit content
The lectures sequence ideally follows the development of an infrastructure yard in each phase, since the earthworks to pavements construction and control. Each topic includes numerical exercises and laboratory experiences specifically defined in order to present methods and calculation procedures currently used in highway engineering and constructions.
Full programme
Program
Introduction to laboratory analysis in highway engineering. Road materials basic elements and classification; Road sections, layer sequence, constructuve aspects and materials; Technical contracts for road works and constructions; Technical standards systems (CNR, UNI EN, ASTM, AASHTO); Lab instrumentations and main data acquisition systems; Measurements reliability.
Earthworks and embankment construction. Introduction to road geotechnics; Criteria and technical systems for soil classification; Soil compaction: Proctor and modified AASHTO tests; Bearing capacity of soils: laboratory measurements; Embankments design; Analysis of compaction in situ; Embankment construction and earthworks machines; In situ testing and analyses; Elastic Half-Space Theory and Light Weight Deflectometer (LWD).
Granular unbound and cement-treated materials. Technical indications; Characteristics of constituent materials; Artificial aggregates and recycled materials; Grading curves and distributions; Mix design criteria and techniques for cement-treated materials; Bearing capacity and mechanical properties; Plant mixing and laying operations; Layer control.
Asphaltic materials and pavement layers. Mineral aggregates: classification, controls and engineering requirements; Asphalt binders (bitumens): classification and testing. Asphalt mixtures: basic elements; Volumetric composition and specific gravity; Marshall Mix design; Superpave Mix design; Introduction to mechanical behaviour; Indirect tensile strength; Stiffness (creep e dynamic experiments); Fatigue resistance; Plant operations; Laying and compaction machines.
Structural analysis of pavements. Fundamentals of pavement calculation based on M-E methods; Main software and numerical solutions; Structural analysis of multilayer elastic systems; Criteria for structural verification; Pavement design.
Pavement controls. Geometrical characteristics of pavement layers; Structural features of pavament layers; FWD systems and back-analysis procedures; Functional (superficial) features of pavements; Skid resistance, micro and macro-texture controls.
Basic elements of road bridges and retaining walls control. Main structural elements in road and highway construction. Structural scheme of retaining walls; Constitutive elements of a road bridge; Introduction to portland cement and concrete techniques and controls; Concrete sampling; Concrete consistency and slump test; Mechanical resistance; Instrumental diagnostic; Coring; Deep foundations: bearing capacity and structural integrity.
Laboratory experiences
1. Soil grading, consistence and AASHTO classification.
2. Proctor tests.
3. CBR tests.
4. Cement-treated materials: mix design, sampling and mechanical strength.
5. In situ bearing capacity determination using DCP, LWD and backanalysis processes.
6. Asphalt binder technical qualification: penetrazione and softening point.
7. Marshall Mix design of asphalt mixtures.
8. Superpave Mix design of asphalt mixtures.
9. Mechanical characterization of asphalt mixtures.
10. Asphalt mixtures control: sampling, bitumen content, air voids.
11. Structural design of flexible pavements with M-E methods and mePADS software.
12. FWD testing and backanalysis procedures.
13. Consistency and mechanical strength of concretes.
14. Macro and micro-texture of road and highway pavements.
Bibliography
Notes supplied by the Teacher available at the Documentation Center of the Faculty of Engineering.
Teaching methods
Lectures, numerical excercises, laboratory experiences
Assessment methods and criteria
The examination consists of a discussion dealing with laboratory experiences and exercises carried out during the course.
Other information
Other useful textbooks
Tesoriere G. Strade, Ferrovie, Aeroporti – Volume 2. Utet.
Ferrari P., Giannini F. Ingegneria Stradale – Volume 2: Corpo Stradale e Pavimentazioni. ISEDI.
Huang Y.H. Pavement Analysis and Design. Prentice Hall.
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) Technician Training Manual. (2006).
Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca Stradale (CIRS). Norme tecniche di tipo prestazionale per capitolati speciali d’appalto. Ministero delle Infrastrutture e dei Trasporti (2002).
