Development of an integrated platform for pavement rehabilitation design optimization

Abstract

This thesis develops an integrated and efficient approach to evaluate pavement surface distress and riding comfort on road sections of a municipal network in order to determine the most likely cause of deterioration, suggest relevant tests to confirm the diagnosis and determine the most appropriate interventions on technical and economic grounds. The thesis then applies that framework to the evaluation of the road network of the City of Chateauguay. All the distress present on the surface of all the road network are assessed alongside the riding comfort. The preliminary diagnosis regarding the most likely cause of deterioration associated to every road section is provided, followed by the relevant tests to perform to confirm the preliminary diagnosis for all the road sections of the network. The determination of the most relevant type of intervention is also provided from three main options depending on the cause of failure. A preliminary structural design is also provided to address highly trafficked roads for every type of subgrade. A detailed cost evaluation of every intervention option is provided, taking into account materials and site execution processes. User cost savings are projected over the life of the pavement based on projected routine and periodic maintenance needs established by the Ministry of Transport of Quebec. The estimated internal rate of return is provided for every candidate section, based on its roughness, distress condition, traffic levels, maintenance projections and cost of materials.

Date	2 Feb 2022
Original language	American English
Awarding Institution	École de technologie supérieure
Supervisor	Gabriel J. Assaf (Supervisor)