Design and maintenance criteria for
Saudi bituminous concrete mixes
H. I. Al-Abdul Wahhab1, *, M. Fatani2, I. Al-Dubabe3, A. Bubshait1 and A. s. Noureldin4
1 King Fahd
University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
2 King Abdulaziz
University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
3 Saudi Aramco, Dhahran,
Saudi Arabia
4 Ministry of Communications, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Abstract
Premature rutting has
occurred on a number of highways recently built in Saudi Arabia. The Ministry of
Communications, in an effort to solve the problem, has initiated a number of
studies and started to replace affected pavements. The aim of this study is to
identify possible factors which may relate to rutting and to recommend
maintenance and repair criteria for existing rutted pavements. The study covers
nineteen sections of eleven major highways. Results indicate a direct
relationship between rutting and the percentage of air voids; the percentage of
voids in mineral aggregate; the percentage of voids filled with asphalt,
resilient modulus at 25°C; and bitumen viscosity. These properties were used as
bases for maintenance criteria as well as criteria for the design of mixes to
resist rutting on Saudi roads.
Index Terms: Concrete mixing; Concrete pavements; Concrete aggregates; Maintenance; Repair; Asphalt;
Bituminous concrete mixes; Resilient modulus
Building and Environment
Volume 34, Issue 5 , 1
September 1999, Pages 623-631