Lessons learned from Mn/ROAD (1992 – 2007): Low-Volume Road Concrete Pavement Design and Performance

Abstract

This paper examines the design and general performance of the five original MnROAD low-volume road (LVR) concrete pavement test sections, which were constructed in 1993 and have been subjected to more than 300,000 80-kN (18-kip) equivalent single-axle loads (ESALs) by a controlled stream of heavy trucks. The test sections include pavements with varying panel lengths, joint designs, foundation designs and drainage systems. Ride quality histories and current distress summaries are presented, along with maintenance records and deflection data. Performance life projections are made on the basis of IRI records, and these projections are compared with predictions that result from using as-built data in selected common design procedures. The effectiveness of various design and construction parameters is evaluated in the context of the performance measures and predictions. Initial ride quality appears to be one of the most important parameters affecting performance life. The accuracy of various design procedures is evaluated in terms of the test section performances. The new AASHTO Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide provided pavement performance estimates that most closely matched observed IRI trends, but even this procedure underpredicted project performance by about 23 percent.