A Detailed

Distresses
Analysis on
Flexible &
Rigid
Pavements,
in the City
of
Moscow,
Idaho

September 15

2016

Roadways & pavements need to be undergone by

continuous surveying, over a specific time interval, for
various distresses to facilitate proper and adequate repair,
maintenance and rehabilitation. This survey is a
demonstration on the distress analysis for flexible & rigid
pavements on the streets of Moscow, Idaho, Unites States.
This study may contribute to the evaluation and preparation
of future rehabilitation works, for the city of Moscow,
Idaho.

CE577:Assignment1-Fahmid Tousif

Introduction
This study has been brought out to identify different flexible and rigid pavements distresses on
the streets of Moscow, Idaho. As it is off immense importance to figure out different distresses,
as a part of continuous evaluation of roadway characteristics to facilitate proper and adequate
repair, maintenance and rehabilitation, for better facilitation of the city people, who will be
basically using these roads and to minimize any sort of risks or accidents probability to zero.

Methodology:
For this very purpose, the survey has been done on September 10, 2016 and September 14,
2016, throughout the day. For the flexible pavement distresses, mainly six locations have been
recorded, as stresses were evident there. Along with some surrounding streets and locations.
These were, W 4th Street, West 3rd Street, North Mountain View Road, South Asbury Street, W
6th Street and E D Street. For the rigid pavements, since most of the pavements here in
Moscow, are flexible pavements, the locations were searched throughout and the distresses
have been found in front of the University of Idaho Administration Building, on South
Jackson Street and Troy Road (Street In front of McDonalds). Later after finding each of the
distresses, measurements have been taken on appropriate cases and photos have been taken,
to categorize the distresses as their respective characteristics. The detailed study has been
presented in this report.

Distresses Analysis for Flexible Pavements:

Different types of stresses in flexible pavements have been noticed in the city of Moscow, Idaho. These
are :
1)Crack Type: Fatigue Cracking
It is mainly a series of interconnected cracks in early stages of development and it develops into manysided and can be of sharp-angled. With time, it takes alligator pattern.
Location: W 4th Street
Causes:
1)inadequate structural support (weak surface,
base, or subgrade)
2)increase in loading
3)poor construction (inadequate compaction)
& poor drainage
4)inadequate structural design (thin surface or
base)
Severity Level: High severity

Figure 1 Fatigue Cracking (Test Section)

(See Appendix 1.1 for more pictures)

2)Crack Type: Block Cracking

It is mainly a pattern of cracks that divides the pavement into approximately rectangular pieces having
block range in size from approximately 0.1 m2 to 10 m2.
Location: West 3rd Street
Causes:
1)Due to HMA shrinkage and daily temperature
cycling
2)mix can be placed too dry & asphalt binder
aging
3)poor choice of asphalt binder in the mix design:
4)low penetration asphalt & absorptive
aggregates

Figure 2 Block Cracking (Test Section)

Severity Level: High severity

Approximate Length: 0.8-1m2 (See Appendix 1.1 for more pictures)

3)Crack Type: Longitudinal Cracking

These are the cracks mainly parallel to pavement centerline.
Location: North Mountain View Road
Causes:
1) Poorly constructed paving joint & shrinkage of
the asphalt layer
2) Improver paver operation during construction
3) Cracks reflecting up from an underlying layer

Severity Level: High severity

Figure 3 Longitudinal Cracking (Test Section)

(See Appendix 1.1 for more pictures)

4)Crack Type: Reflection Cracking at Joints

These are the cracks in HMA overlay over the joints of PCC surfaces.
Location: South Asbury Street
Causes:
1) lack of support at the pavement edge
2) differential movement between the asphalt and
concrete layers
Severity Level: High severity

(See Appendix 1.1 for more pictures)

Figure 4 Reflection Cracking at Joints (Test Section)

5)Crack Type: Transverse Cracking

These are the cracks mainly perpendicular direction to pavement centerline.
Location: W 6th Street
Causes:
1) shrinkage of the asphalt layer due to low temperatures or
asphalt binder hardening
2) daily temperature cycling
3) cracks in an underlying layer that reflect up through the
pavement
Severity Level: Moderate severity
Figure 5 Transverse Cracking (Test Section)

(See Appendix 1.1 for more pictures)

6)Crack Type: Patch Deterioration

It is a portion of pavement surface, greater than 0.1 m2, that has been removed and replaced or
additional material applied to the pavement after original construction
Location: North Mountain View Road
Causes:
1) poor construction (inadequate compaction)
2) Failure of underlying pavement
Severity Level: Moderate severity
Approximate Length: All our patch findings had area greater
than 0.1m2
(See Appendix 1.1 for more pictures)
Figure 6 Patch (Test Section)

7)Crack Type: Potholes

These are bowl-shaped holes having minimum dimension is 150 mm.
Location: W 4th Street
Causes:
1) End result of fatigue cracking; interconnected cracks
2) Poor surface mixtures
Severity Level: moderate severity
Approximate Length: the plan dimension is 279mm. The
scale was a 304.8mm scale
(See Appendix 1.1 for more pictures)
Figure 7 Potholes (Test Section)

8)Crack Type: Rutting

A rut is a longitudinal surface depression in the wheel path
Location: West 3rd Street
Causes:
1) consolidation of any of the pavement layers or the
subgrade under traffic
2) Insufficient design thickness
3) Insufficient compaction
Severity Level: Medium Severity

(See Appendix 1.1 for more pictures)

Figure 8 Rutting (Test Section)

9)Crack Type: Shoving

It is a longitudinal displacement of a localized area of the pavement surface.
Location: Intersection of North Mountain View Road & E D Street
Causes:
1) by braking or accelerating vehicles, usually located on
hills or curves, or at intersections.
2) mixture with high binder
3) low air voids
4) fine aggregate content too high
Severity Level: Medium Severity

(See Appendix 1.1 for more pictures)

Figure 9 Shoving (Test Section)

10)Crack Type: Bleeding

When excess asphalt binder on the pavement surface; found in the wheel paths & discolored surface
relative to the remainder of the pavement; losing surface texture because of excess asphalt; obscured
aggregates by excess asphalt, it is called bleeding
Location: North Mountain View Road
Causes:
1) Excessive asphalt in HMA
2) Too heavy a prime or bond/tack coat
3) Low HMA air void content (a mix design issue)
4) Over compacted by traffic
5) Improperly constructed seal coat
Severity Level: Low Severity

(See Appendix 1.1 for more pictures)

Figure 10 Bleeding (Test Section)

11)Crack Type: Polished Aggregate

When surface binder worn away to expose coarse aggregate, then it is called polishing.
Location: North Mountain View Road
Causes:
1) Soft rocks with poor resistance to polishing
Severity Level: Medium Severity

(See Appendix 1.1 for more pictures)

Figure 11 Polished Aggregate (Test Section)

12)Crack Type: Raveling

Raveling is wearing away of the pavement surface caused by binder. It ranges from loss of fines to loss
of a very rough and pitted surface with obvious loss of aggregate.
Location: W 4th Street
Causes:
1) Loss of bond between aggregate particles and the asphalt
binder
2) Asphalt binder aging
3) Aggregate segregation (fines are missing)
4) Poor compaction
Severity Level: Medium Severity

(See Appendix 1.1 for more pictures)

Figure 12 Raveling (Test Section)

Appendix 1.1

1.1.1 Fatigue cracking at W 4th Street

1.1.2 Fatigue cracking at North Mountain View Road

1.1.3 Block cracking at West 3rd street

1.1.4 Longitudinal cracking at North Mountain View Road

1.1.5 Reflection Cracking at Joints at South Asbury Street

1.1.6 Transverse Cracking at Joints at North Mountain View Road

1.1.7 Patch at W 4th Street

1.1.8 Potholes at W 4th Street

1.1.8 Rutting at West 3rd Street

1.1.9 Shoving at Intersection of North Mountain View Road & E D Street

1.1.10 Bleeding at North Mountain View Road

1.1.11 Polished Aggregate at North Mountain View Road

1.1.12 Raveling at W 4th Street

Distresses Analysis for Rigid Pavements:

Different types of stresses in flexible pavements have been noticed in the city of Moscow, Idaho. These
are :
1)Crack Type: Corner Breaks
A portion of the slab separated by a crack degree angle with the direction of traffic. The length of the
sides is from 0.3 m to one half the width of the slab on each side of the corner.
Location: University of Idaho Administration
Building
Causes:
1) repeated loading & insufficient support
2) poor load transfer across the joint
3) curling and warping stresses
Severity Level: Moderate severity
Approximate Length: Side Length:26 inch=0.664m
(See Appendix 2.1 for more pictures)

Figure 3 Corner Breaks (Test Section)

2)Crack Type: Longitudinal Cracking

These are cracks mainly parallel to the pavement centerline.
Location: University of Idaho Administration
Building
Causes:
1) A combination of traffic loading,
curling, loss of support.
Severity Level: High severity
Approximate Length: All the cracks found, had
more than 6mm crack width.
(See Appendix 2.1 for more pictures)

Figure 2 Longitudinal Cracking (Test Section)

3)Crack Type: Transverse Cracking

These are cracks mainly perpendicular to the
pavement centerline.
Location: S. Jackson Street
Causes:
1) A combination of traffic loading &
Curling.
Severity Level: High severity
Approximate Length: All the cracks found, had
more than 6mm crack width.
(See Appendix 2.1 for more pictures)

Figure 3 Transverse Cracking (Test Section)

4)Crack Type: Joint Seal Damage

It is basically any condition that enables incompressible materials or water to infiltrate the joint from the
surface.
Location: University of Idaho Administration Building
Causes:
1) Extrusion: due to adhesive failure (debonding),
cohesive failure (splitting), or complete loss of sealant.
2) Intrusion of foreign material in the joint.
3) Weed growth in the joint.
Severity Level: High severity

(See Appendix 2.1 for more pictures)

Figure 4 Joint Seal Damage (Test Section)

5) Crack Type: Spalling of Longitudinal Joint

It is basically cracking, breaking, or chipping of slab edges within 0.3 m from the face of the longitudinal
joint.
Location: University of Idaho Administration Building
Causes:
1) Excessive stresses at the joint/crack caused by
infiltration of incompressible materials
2) Inadequate consolidation during construction; weak
PCC & misalignment or corroded dowel
3) Repeated heavy traffic loading
Severity Level: High severity
Approximate Length: In most of the areas the cracks found within 0.26-0.3m
(See Appendix 2.1 for more pictures)

Figure 5 Spalling of Longitudinal Joint (Test Section)

6)Crack Type: Spalling of Transverse Joint

It is basically cracking, breaking, or chipping of slab edges within 0.3 m from the face of the transverse
joint.
Location: University of Idaho Administration Building
Causes:
1) Excessive stresses at the joint/crack caused by
infiltration of incompressible materials
2) Inadequate consolidation during construction; weak
PCC & misalignment or corroded dowel
3) Repeated heavy traffic loading
Severity Level: Moderate severity
Approximate Length: Cracks found within 0.25-0.3m
(See Appendix 2.1 for more pictures)

Figure 6 Spalling of Transvere Joint (Straight is the shoulder)(Test Section)

7)Crack Type: Map Cracking

It is A series of cracks, usually, larger cracks oriented in the finer transverse or random cracks.
Location: Troy Road
Causes:
1) improper curing technique (top surface dry
(shrink) faster than bottom surface)
2) alkali-silica reaction (ASR); swelling gel
(calcium silicate hydrate, C-S-H); causing
expansive pressure
3) contraction joints sawed too late
4) poor reinforcing steel design
Severity Level: Low severity

(See Appendix 2.1 for more pictures)

Figure 7 Map Cracking (Test Section)

8)Crack Type: Scaling

The deterioration of the upper surface of concrete slab. Normally 3 mm to 13 mm.
Location: University of Idaho Administration Building
Causes:
1) Freeze-thaw cycles
2) Improper curing or finishing
Severity Level: Moderate severity
Approximate Length: Within the range 11mm
(See Appendix 2.1 for more pictures)

Figure 8 Scaling (Test Section)

9)Crack Type: Polished Aggregate

Under repeated traffic applications, surface mortar and texturing worn expose coarse aggregate thus,
rough and angular aggregates become polished & skid resistance gets reduced. This is called polished
aggregate.
Location: University of Idaho Administration Building
Causes:
1) aggregates are susceptible to abrasion
2) excessive studded tire wear
Severity Level: High severity

(See Appendix 2.1 for more pictures)

Figure 9 Polished Aggregate (Test Section)

10)Crack Type: Popouts

Popouts are small broken pieces of from pavement surface, ranging from 25 mm to 100 mm in diameter
and 13mm to 50mm in depth.
Location: S. Jackson Street
Causes:
1) poor aggregate durability
2) poor resistance to freeze-thaw
3) alkali-aggregate reactions
Severity Level: Modrate severity
Approximate Length: Diameter:1 inch=25.4mm
(See Appendix 2.1 for more pictures)

Figure 10 Popouts (Test Section)

11)Crack Type: Punchout

Localized broken slab area which enclosed between two transverse cracks and short longitudinal crack is
called punchout. It is usually a concern only with Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement (CRCP).
Location: University of Idaho Administration Building
Causes:
1) construction defect; insufficient
consolidation
2) excessively shrinkage cracks
3) insufficient steel design
4) steel corrosion
Severity Level: High severity

(See Appendix 2.1 for more pictures)

Figure 11 Punchout (Test Section)

12)Crack Type: Faulting of Transverse Joints and Cracks

Difference in elevation across a joint or crack is called faulting of transverse joints and cracks. Generally
the approach slab has higher elevation than the leave slab due to pumping.
Location: University of Idaho Administration Building
Causes:
1) Pumping, the most common faulting mechanism
2) Other factors are slab settlement and curling
Severity Level: Low severity

(See Appendix 2.1 for more pictures)

Figure 12 Faulting of Transverse Joints and Cracks (Test Section)

13)Crack Type: Lane to Shoulder Dropoff

Difference in elevation between the edge of slab and outside shoulder which may bring hazard to
vehicles drifted from the travel lane
Location: University of Idaho Administration Building
Causes:
1) shoulder may be settled or deteriorated
2) pavement can be resurfaced
Severity Level: Low severity

(See Appendix 2.1 for more pictures)

Figure 12 Lane to Shoulder Dropoff (Test Section)

14)Crack Type: Lane to Shoulder Separation

This means the widening of the joint between the edge
of the slab and the shoulder.
Location: University of Idaho Administration Building
Causes:
1) Improper joint construction
2) Unstable base or subgrade
Severity Level: High severity

(See Appendix 2.1 for more pictures)

Figure 14 Lane to Shoulder Separation (Test Section)

15)Crack Type: Patch Deterioration

Patch is the portion of pavement surface greater than 0.1m2 that has been removed and replaced.
Location: S Jackson Street
Causes:
1) poor construction (inadequate consolidation,
compaction)
2) failure of underlying pavement
Severity Level: Moderate severity
Approximate Length: length=2.8m & width=1.8m;
therefore, area=5.04m2> 0.1m2
(See Appendix 2.1 for more pictures)

Figure 15 Patch (Test Section)

16)Crack Type: Water Bleeding and Pumping

Seeping or ejection of water from beneath the pavement through cracks, is called water bleeding and
pumping. In some cases, detectable by deposits of fine minerals left on pavement surface.
Location: University of Idaho Administration Building
Causes:
1) Water gets into pavements through panel cracks
or poor joint seals
2) High water table
3) Poor drainage
Severity Level: High severity

(See Appendix 2.1 for more pictures)

Figure 16 Water Bleeding and Pumping (Test Section)

Appendix 2.1

2.1.1
Corner Breaks at University of Idaho Administration Building

2.1.2 Longitudinal Cracking at University of Idaho Administration Building

2.1.3.1 Transverse Cracking at S. Jackson Street

2.1.3.2 Transverse Cracking at University of Idaho Administration Building

2.1.4 Joint Seal Damage at University of Idaho Administration Building

2.1.5 Spalling of Longitudinal Joints at University of Idaho Administration Building

2.1.6 Spalling of Transverse Joints at University of Idaho Administration Building

2.1.7 Map Cracking at University of Idaho Administration Building

2.1.8 Scaling at University of Idaho Administration Building

2.1.9 Polished Aggregate at University of Idaho Administration Building

2.1.10 Popouts at University of Idaho Administration Building

2.1.11 Punchout at University of Idaho Administration Building

2.1.12 Faulting of Transverse Joints and Cracks at University of Idaho Administration Building

2.1.13 Lane to Shoulder Dropoff at University of Idaho Administration Building

2.1.14 Lane to Shoulder Seperation at University of Idaho Administration Building

2.1.15.1 Patch Deterioration at S Jackson Street

2.1.15.2 Patch Deterioration at University of Idaho Administration Building

2.1.16 Water Bleeding and Pumping at University of Idaho Administration Building

Conclusion
The city of Moscow has different distresses in its flexible and rigid pavements. A detailed
distresses analysis has been presented here. Therefore, this study will help to figuring necessary
steps to be taken, in the coming days for the city of Moscow Transportation Authority, to fix
these distresses and provide smooth and risk free pavements for the neighborhood.