Roads & Streets
Comprehensive guide to asphalt road and street construction and maintenance
Road Classifications
🏘️Residential Streets
Thickness: 3-4 inches
Base Depth: 6-8 inches
Traffic Load: Light to Medium
Design Life: 15-20 years
Applications:
- •Neighborhood streets
- •Cul-de-sacs
- •Local access roads
🛣️Collector Roads
Thickness: 4-6 inches
Base Depth: 8-12 inches
Traffic Load: Medium to Heavy
Design Life: 20-25 years
Applications:
- •Arterial connectors
- •Commercial access
- •Bus routes
🛤️Major Arterials
Thickness: 6-8 inches
Base Depth: 12-18 inches
Traffic Load: Heavy
Design Life: 25-30 years
Applications:
- •Main thoroughfares
- •Commercial corridors
- •Transit routes
🛸Highways
Thickness: 8-12+ inches
Base Depth: 18+ inches
Traffic Load: Very Heavy
Design Life: 30+ years
Applications:
- •Interstate highways
- •State routes
- •High-speed corridors
Design Criteria
📊Traffic Analysis
Determining design traffic loads and patterns
- •Average Daily Traffic (ADT)
- •Design Hourly Volume (DHV)
- •Truck percentage and loading
- •Equivalent Single Axle Loads (ESALs)
- •Growth projections over design life
🏗️Structural Design
Pavement thickness and layer specifications
- •Subgrade strength (CBR testing)
- •Base course material selection
- •Asphalt layer thickness design
- •Load distribution calculations
- •Fatigue and rutting analysis
📐Geometric Design
Roadway alignment and cross-section design
- •Lane width and number of lanes
- •Shoulder width and type
- •Crown and superelevation
- •Sight distance requirements
- •Intersection design
💧Drainage Design
Surface and subsurface water management
- •Surface drainage and grading
- •Storm sewer system design
- •Subsurface drainage layers
- •Culvert and bridge drainage
- •Erosion control measures
Construction Process
🏗️
Site Preparation
1-2 weeks
- •Survey and staking
- •Utility relocation if needed
- •Clearing and grubbing
- •Earthwork and grading
- •Environmental controls
🪨
Base Construction
1-3 weeks
- •Subgrade preparation and testing
- •Base course placement
- •Compaction and density testing
- •Proof rolling for weak areas
- •Grade verification
🛣️
Asphalt Paving
3-7 days
- •Tack coat application
- •Hot mix asphalt placement
- •Compaction operations
- •Joint construction
- •Quality control testing
✅
Finishing
1-2 weeks
- •Pavement marking installation
- •Sign installation
- •Guardrail and safety features
- •Landscaping and restoration
- •Final inspection and acceptance
Maintenance Strategies
Preventive Maintenance
Years 0-8
Cost: Low
Extends pavement life significantly
✓Crack sealing
✓Fog seals and slurry seals
✓Microsurfacing
✓Pothole patching
Corrective Maintenance
Years 8-15
Cost: Medium
Restores structural capacity
✓Surface recycling
✓Thin overlay (1-2 inches)
✓Milling and resurfacing
✓Base repair in localized areas
Rehabilitation
Years 15-25
Cost: High
Major life extension
✓Thick overlay (3+ inches)
✓Full-depth reclamation
✓Reconstruction of failed sections
✓Structural improvements
Reconstruction
Years 25+
Cost: Very High
New facility design life
✓Complete reconstruction
✓Upgraded design standards
✓Improved drainage systems
✓Enhanced safety features
Quality Control Testing
| Test Type | Frequency | Specification | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Density Testing | Every 500 tons | ≥ 96% Marshall density | Ensure proper compaction |
| Thickness Testing | Every 1000 tons | ±0.25 inches of design | Verify design thickness |
| Temperature Monitoring | Continuous | 275-325°F at paver | Proper mix workability |
| Smoothness Testing | Each lane mile | IRI < 63 inches/mile | Ride quality assurance |
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