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
