Highway Engineering Chapter 1 Quiz

The process of determining the optimal structural layers of a pavement to withstand anticipated traffic loads and environmental conditions.

Pavement systems that use flexible materials, such as asphalt, to distribute the load of traffic across the subgrade.

Pavement systems that utilize rigid materials, such as concrete, to transfer traffic loads to the subgrade.

Damage to a pavement structure resulting from traffic, environmental factors, or construction defects.

The natural soil layer beneath the pavement structure.

Highway construction and maintenance are very expensive and are a significant public works project globally.

The repeated pressure exerted by vehicles on the pavement surface.

The assortment of materials used in pavement construction, from flexible asphalt to rigid concrete and various sub-base materials.

Pavement structures are categorized into flexible and rigid pavements.

Pavement guides drivers by providing visual cues regarding road alignment.

Pavement supports vehicle loads and distributes them to the subgrade (soil), preventing soil failure.

The ability of the soil to support weight without failing.

Truck loads are the standard used for pavement design for high traffic areas.

Cars have smaller weights and pressures than trucks - significant impact in pavement design due to different load capacities.

A layer above the subbase, typically made of crushed aggregates, sometimes stabilized with cement.

The top layer of a flexible pavement, usually asphaltic concrete, protecting the base and providing a safe surface.

An optional layer beneath the concrete slab in rigid pavements, used if the subgrade is poor.

Built into rigid pavements to control cracks caused by concrete shrinkage.

Devices like dowel bars in rigid pavements, used to minimize stress and deflection near the slab edges.

Highway pavement slabs typically range from 8 to 12 inches.

Distributes traffic loads over a larger area to reduce stresses on the subgrade.

Typically consists of surface (HMA), base, and subbase layers over a subgrade.

Base layers can be unstabilized aggregate or stabilized with asphalt, cement, or lime; subbase usually is a local aggregate.

Pavement failure occurs when distresses like rutting, cracking, and disintegration reach unacceptable levels.

Average lifespan of a flexible pavement ranges from 10 to 15 years.

Pavement design should account for the expected lifespan (to failure) of the pavement.

Distress damages, like rutting, cracking; these accumulate from traffic loading and age.

A measure of variability in pavement design that accounts for errors in estimating future traffic loads and inconsistencies in materials and construction.

The point at which a pavement can no longer function properly and needs repair or replacement.

The difference between the initial performance level of a pavement and its TSI.

A measure of concrete's tensile strength, determined by breaking a concrete beam.

Indicates the drainage characteristics of the subgrade beneath a rigid pavement.

A factor representing the ability of a rigid pavement to transfer load between concrete slabs.

A measure of concrete's stiffness and resistance to deformation.

A measure of the soil's ability to support the load of a pavement.

A standard 18-kip single-axle load used to represent the impact of various vehicle loads on pavement.

A multiplier representing the impact of a specific axle load compared to the standard ESAL.

A numerical measure of how well a pavement is performing based on factors like smoothness and cracking.

The likelihood that a pavement will maintain an acceptable level of performance (TSI) over its design lifespan.

Similar to ZR, but represented as a percentage. It reflects the confidence in the pavement's performance.

Pavements with high reliability need to perform well for a long time (e.g., interstates), while those with low reliability can have a shorter lifespan (e.g., local roads).

A value derived from the standard normal distribution used to calculate the ZR probability.

ESAL is used to compare the damage potential of various vehicle loads, enabling engineers to design pavements that can withstand the anticipated traffic.