EVALUATION OF PAVEMENT STRUCTURES ON MOUNTAIN ROADS

Abstract

The lack of road maintenance leads to several significant problems such as increased vehicle operating costs, increased risk of traffic accidents, and reduced pavement life. In this context, a methodology is presented to evaluate the pavement structure of mountain roads applied to the Quera-Porotillo-Chilla road in order to determine whether the road offers adequate road service. This methodology includes the analysis of indicators such as land use, pavement condition index and laboratory tests. The evaluation begins with a visual inspection to gather information on land use to establish the relevance of the road. Then, the pavement condition index method is applied to classify the condition of the pavement according to the corresponding standards. Subsequently, laboratory tests were carried out with soil samples taken from the road to provide data on granulometry and bearing capacity, which are classified according to the regulations established by ASTM and the Ministry of Transportation and Public Works. Finally, the results of the indicators used were analyzed to obtain a final weighting, indicating a regular condition of the pavement structure in the studied road. It is concluded that the evaluation of the road by means of the indicators used in this study allows identifying surface and structural deficiencies in a precise and reliable manner, which facilitates the formulation of improvement proposals to guarantee an adequate road service.