Abstract:
Considering the merits of road transportation in the economy and communication
activities of the modern societies, it is imperative to design a safe, stable, efficient and cost
effective road that will lead to increased economic development and growth of the South
African nation. Although, the overarching effect of failed roads has in many ways led to
increased travel time, loss of life and property; leading to reduced driver control on failed road
sections (riding quality). Thus, time rate delamination of flexible pavement is a major focus of
this study. Since structural collapse in a flexible pavement structure is caused by the evolution
of different types of damage mechanisms; fatigue cracking, advanced crushing, temperature
variation, and delamination. The effect of moisture content on HMA was analysed. The
analysis from the multi-layered elastic model indicates that increase in moisture content in the
underlying layer of HMA pavement results to increase in the strain of the individual layers and
culminates to a decrease in the structural carrying capacity of the pavement with respect to
number of load cycles that can be carried on the HMA pavement. This study shows a clear
relationship between the moisture/saturation coefficient and the Elastic Modulus of the
underlying geometric material layer properties of the pavement during the service life of the
pavement.
