Introduction to Pavement Structural Design from Udemy

An introduction to various pavement design methods for rigid/ flexible pavement. Including mechanistic, empirical, and mechanistic-empirical pavement design methods. Including design examples, and typical software used for design.

The course looks at the inception of structural pavement design and the various methodologies and tests which have been carried out to establish the current guidelines used in America, South Africa, New Zealand & Australia.

The goal of structural design is to determine the number, material composition and thickness of the different layers within a pavement structure required to accommodate a given loading regime. This includes the surface course as well as any underlying base or subbase layers.

The course also discusses of best methods of practice for pavement rehabilitation and new pavements. Design output layout and stakeholder communication in regard to design outputs.

Overall, this Module is only meant to provide a brief overview of the different structural design techniques as well as their assumptions, inputs and outputs. Detailed analysis of the design methods presented here can be found in:

Empirical Method: The AASHTO Guide for Design of Pavement Structures, TRH4 &

What's inside

Syllabus

Introduction

Course Introduction & Technical Background

Course Outline

Pavement Structure

Type I - Flexible Pavement

Type II Rigid Pavement

Design Mehthod

Design Catalogs

Empirical Design

ASHTO Method

Mechanistic-Empirical Design

AASHO Road Test

Background

Performance Measurements & HMA Pavement Materials

Rigid & Flexible Pavement Structural Design (ASSHTO 1993 Mehthod)

Flexible Pavement

Rigid Pavement

Empirical Pavement Design

Empirical Design Summary

Flexible Pavement Example

Rigid Pavement Example

Flexible Pavement Mechanistic Model

Finite Element Model

Rigid Mechanistic Models

Failure Criteria Example

Example of Pavement Failure

Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design

ME Design Methodology

Design Flow Chart

Industry Software's

References

Used Sources and End of Lecture

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Introduction to Pavement Structural Design with these activities:

Review Mechanics of Materials

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Reinforce your understanding of stress, strain, and material properties, which are fundamental to pavement structural design.

Browse courses on Mechanics of Materials

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Review key concepts like stress and strain.
Practice solving problems related to material behavior under load.

Review 'Principles of Pavement Design' by Yoder and Witczak

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Gain a deeper understanding of pavement design principles and methodologies.

View Principles of Pavement Design, 2nd Edition on Amazon

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Read the chapters related to empirical and mechanistic design.
Work through the example problems in the book.

Follow AASHTO Pavement Design Tutorials

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Learn the practical application of the AASHTO pavement design method through step-by-step tutorials.

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Find online tutorials demonstrating AASHTO design procedures.
Follow along with the tutorial, performing each step.
Compare your results with the tutorial's output.

Four other activities

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Show all seven activities

Review 'Pavement Analysis and Design' by Huang

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Deepen your understanding of mechanistic-empirical pavement design methods.

View Slope Stability Analysis by the Limit... on Amazon

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Read the chapters on finite element analysis of pavements.
Explore the examples of pavement analysis using computer models.

Design a Flexible Pavement Section

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Apply the concepts learned in the course to design a flexible pavement section for a specific traffic loading and environmental conditions.

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Define the design traffic loading and environmental conditions.
Select appropriate materials for each pavement layer.
Determine the required thickness of each layer using a design method.
Evaluate the performance of the designed pavement section.

Create a Pavement Design Report

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Document your pavement design process and results in a professional report.

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Summarize the design inputs and assumptions.
Describe the design method used and the calculations performed.
Present the design results and recommendations.
Include supporting figures and tables.

Contribute to an Open-Source Pavement Design Tool

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Enhance your skills by contributing to an open-source pavement design software project.

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Find an open-source pavement design project on GitHub.
Review the project's documentation and code.
Identify a bug or feature to work on.
Submit a pull request with your changes.

Career center

Learners who complete Introduction to Pavement Structural Design will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Pavement Technician

A pavement technician assists engineers in the testing, inspection, and analysis of pavement materials and structures. Technicians collect data, perform tests, and prepare reports to support pavement design and maintenance activities. This course will help a pavement technician supporting pavement design activities, providing them with an introduction to various pavement design methods for rigid and flexible pavements. This course also discusses best methods of practice for pavement rehabilitation and new pavements.

See salaries and explore the career path for Pavement Technician

Pavement Engineer

A pavement engineer focuses on the design, construction, and maintenance of pavements for roads, highways, and airports. This career involves analyzing traffic loads, soil conditions, and environmental factors to create durable and cost-effective pavement structures. Taking this course helps those in this role by introducing them to various pavement design methods for rigid and flexible pavements, including mechanistic, empirical, and mechanistic-empirical approaches. This course specifically looks at the inception of structural pavement design and the methodologies and tests which have been carried out to establish the current guidelines used in America, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia.

See salaries and explore the career path for Pavement Engineer

Airport Engineer

An airport engineer specializes in the design, construction, and maintenance of airport infrastructure, which includes runways and taxiways. Pavement design is a critical aspect of airport engineering. This course is particularly relevant for airport engineers as it covers pavement design methods for both rigid and flexible pavements. Including mechanistic, empirical, and mechanistic-empirical methods as well as the discussion of best methods of practice for pavement rehabilitation and new pavements.

See salaries and explore the career path for Airport Engineer

Highway Engineer

A highway engineer specializes in the design, construction, and maintenance of highways and roadways. Their work involves ensuring safe and efficient traffic flow. This course is very helpful to highway engineers, providing an overview of various pavement design methods for both rigid and flexible pavements. This includes mechanistic, empirical, and mechanistic-empirical methods, which are essential for designing durable and reliable highway systems. This course additionally discusses best methods of practice for pavement rehabilitation and new pavements.

See salaries and explore the career path for Highway Engineer

Transportation Engineer

A transportation engineer plans, designs, and oversees the construction and maintenance of transportation systems, which includes roadways and pavement. This involves considering traffic flow, safety, and environmental impact. This course helps transportation engineers gain a deeper understanding of pavement structural design and its practical applications. The module provides a brief overview of different structural design techniques as well as their assumptions, inputs, and outputs. Those looking to enter this field should take this course to learn about rigid and flexible pavements.

See salaries and explore the career path for Transportation Engineer

Civil Engineer

A civil engineer designs, constructs, and maintains infrastructure projects, including roads, bridges, and buildings. Pavement design is often a crucial aspect of road construction projects that a civil engineer would work on. This course offers a focused introduction to pavement structural design methods, including mechanistic, empirical, and mechanistic-empirical designs. A civil engineer can directly apply the knowledge to pavement-related projects to help determine the number, material composition, and thickness of the different layers within a pavement structure required to accommodate a given loading regime.

See salaries and explore the career path for Civil Engineer

Research Engineer

A research engineer conducts research and development activities to improve pavement materials, design methods, and construction techniques. Many research engineers hold advanced degrees. This course helps research engineers by providing a foundation in the current methodologies and tests that are used to establish current guidelines in America, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia. The module also provides a brief overview of the different structural design techniques as well as their assumptions, inputs, and outputs.

See salaries and explore the career path for Research Engineer

Geotechnical Engineer

A geotechnical engineer investigates soil and rock properties to design foundations and earthworks for various construction projects. Understanding pavement design is valuable when working on road and infrastructure projects. This course may be helpful for geotechnical engineers as it covers the structural design of pavements, including considerations for soil conditions and material properties. Gaining an understanding of design output layout and stakeholder communication in regard to design outputs may also be helpful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Geotechnical Engineer

Materials Engineer

A materials engineer researches, develops, and tests materials used in construction and manufacturing. For a materials engineer, this course may be useful in understanding how different materials perform in pavement structures. With a view of structural design, this course covers the number, material composition, and thickness of the different layers within a pavement structure. This also discusses best methods of practice for pavement rehabilitation and new pavements.

See salaries and explore the career path for Materials Engineer

Construction Manager

A construction manager plans, coordinates, and oversees construction projects from start to finish. They need to have a broad understanding of various aspects of construction, including pavement design. This course may be useful for construction managers as it provides an overview of pavement structural design, which would help them in effectively managing road and infrastructure projects. Especially useful may be the discussion of design output layout and stakeholder communication in regard to design outputs.

See salaries and explore the career path for Construction Manager

Estimator

An estimator calculates the costs associated with construction projects, including materials, labor, and equipment. Understanding the design and construction methods used in pavement engineering can be valuable for estimators working on road-related projects. This course may be useful, providing the knowledge of pavement structures and design considerations. A particular focus on number, material composition, and thickness of pavement may be especially useful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Estimator

Urban Planner

An urban planner develops plans and strategies for the growth and development of cities and communities. Their work often involves transportation planning, including the design and maintenance of road networks. This course may be useful for urban planners to understand the principles of pavement structural design. This ensures that they can make informed decisions about transportation infrastructure. Best methods of practice for pavement rehabilitation and new pavements may also be useful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Urban Planner

Civil Engineering Professor

A civil engineering profession teaches civil engineering courses at the university level. Many roles at this level require a Ph.D. They develop curriculum, deliver lectures, and conduct research in various areas of civil engineering. This course may be useful for civil engineering professors who teach courses related to transportation, materials, or pavement design. In particular, the course looks at the inception of structural pavement design and the various methodologies and tests which have been carried out to establish the current guidelines.

See salaries and explore the career path for Civil Engineering Professor

GIS Analyst

A geographic information system analyst uses GIS software to analyze spatial data and create maps for various applications, including transportation planning and infrastructure management. Understanding pavement conditions and design can be valuable for GIS analysts working on road-related projects. This course may be useful, providing a background on pavement structural design and the factors influencing pavement performance. Especially useful may be the discussion of design output layout and stakeholder communication in regard to design outputs.

See salaries and explore the career path for GIS Analyst

Sustainability Consultant

A sustainability consultant advises organizations on how to reduce their environmental impact and improve their sustainability practices. This may include assessing the environmental impact of road construction and maintenance. This course may be useful for sustainability consultants to understand the design and construction methods used in pavement engineering. Best methods of practice for pavement rehabilitation and new pavements may be most useful.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sustainability Consultant

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Introduction to Pavement Structural Design.

Principles of Pavement Design

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Classic and comprehensive resource on pavement design principles. It covers empirical, mechanistic, and mechanistic-empirical design methods in detail. It is commonly used as a textbook in pavement engineering courses. Reading this book will provide a deeper understanding of the concepts presented in the course.

Principles of Pavement Design, 2nd Edition

Hardcover

$$$$

Slope Stability Analysis by the Limit Equilibrium...

Save

Provides a comprehensive treatment of pavement analysis and design, with a focus on mechanistic-empirical methods. It covers the theory behind pavement behavior and the application of computer models for pavement analysis. This book is valuable for understanding the advanced concepts presented in the course and for conducting more sophisticated pavement design analyses.

Slope Stability Analysis by the Limit Equilibrium...

Paperback

$$$

Introduction to Pavement Structural Design

What's inside

Syllabus

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Activities

Career center

Reading list

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