Phoenix implements new AASHTO pavement design

Phoenix has provided an excellent leadership in adopting the 1986 AASHTO guides in the design of the city's pavements. The adoption of the new AASHTO guide resulted in a substantial saving in the initial cost of pavement construction. Cities and counties that currently follow the old version of the AASHTO guide can gradually adopt the 1986 guide for the design and rehabilitation of their streets. The paper provides guidelines and examples to simplify the task of design personnel in adopting the guide. Specific conditions locally applicable should be considered to reduce the scope of the guide. Training is needed by local designers to adopt the concepts of the guide such as the use of NDT data, the use of resilient modulus values, the choice of reliability levels, and the use of life-cycle cost analysis. Engineering judgement and previous experience are still needed to overcome the obstacles that might arise in the implementation of the new AASHTO guide.