LOADS STUDY FOR PAVEMENT DESIGN ON SECTIONS OF COLLECTOR ROAD PASO LATERAL-PORTOVIEJO

Abstract

The increase in vehicular traffic in the city of Portoviejo has generated significant challenges for pavement design and maintenance, especially due to the growth in the transit of heavy and overloaded vehicles. This phenomenon has increased the structural demands on pavements, accelerating their deterioration process. In the present study, vehicular traffic in the Portoviejo Bypass was evaluated through an indirect method to determine the load spectra, using manual counts and the identification of vehicle silhouettes according to the NEVI 12 regulations of Ecuador. The equivalent axles that have traveled throughout the useful life of the pavement were estimated in three sections of the road, and the condition of the pavement was evaluated using the Pavement Condition Index (PCI) in the lane with the highest flow of heavy traffic. The results showed few variations in the Truck Factor between the sections, although notable differences were observed in the condition of the pavement. The first section, characterized by the presence of longitudinal, transverse and alligator skin cracks, obtained a PCI of 43.2; the second section, with less heavy traffic, reached a PCI of 59.6, reflecting a better condition; and the third section, affected by faults such as rutting and corrugations, presented a PCI of 53.1. The correlation between traffic and visual assessment showed that the number of accumulated axles has contributed significantly to the appearance and severity of the faults, with a higher incidence in the first section of the road.