Integrating Flexible Pavement Surface Macrotexture to Pavement Management System to Optimize Pavement Preservation Treatment Recommendation Strategy

Transportation agencies implement pavement preservation program to keep the good road in good condition for an extended period. This paper focuses on addressing pavement surface texture issues such as bleeding and raveling by investigating pavement surface macrotexture characteristics, developing surface macrotexture performance models for hot-mix dense graded overlay and chip seal, and establishing thresholds to trigger surface texture treatments. The surface texture evaluation of 20 pavement sections capturing nine (9) different types of pavement surfaces in the City of Phoenix were performed using automated and manual survey methods. Both FHWA Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) and City of Phoenix pavement performance datasets were used for this study. Macrotexture is characterized by the surface texture between individual aggregates and thus is influenced by aggregates composition and binder type of the wearing course. A high macrotexture depth indicated by Mean Profile Depth (MPD) or Macrotexture Depth (MTD) represents a rough textured pavement surface. MPD above 1.2 mm exhibits a rougher pavement texture. The rate of change of MPD greater than 0.11 mm/yr. for thin hot-mix dense graded asphalt overlay and 0 mm/yr., for chip seal can be established as the raveling limits. The rate of change of MPD less than 0 mm/yr. for thin hot-mix dense graded asphalt overlay and 0.15 mm/yr., for chip seal can be established as the bleeding limits. Therefore, pavement macrotexture can be integrated to the pavement management system to optimize preservation treatment recommendation strategy.