Restabilising Stabilised Pavements - What are the Options by David Bell

Abstract

A common task facing asset managers is the evaluation of options for rehabilitating a road pavement once it has reached the end of its design life.

Based on the utilisation of stabilised pavement materials (plant mixed or insitu) within local government for over 50 years, the evaluation of rehabilitation options is now commonly including what options do I have available to rehabilitate my previously stabilised pavement and does one of these options include restabilising.

This paper aims to identify which stabilised pavements can be restabilised and what process to follow in order to provide confidence in the proposed solution. The paper details the applicable investigation and design process required to determine what treatments are suitable, along with examples of projects that have been restabilised and the subsequent outcomes.

Interaction with local government asset managers and engineers suggests there are various technical aspects relating to restabilising pavements that need to be reviewed during the treatment evaluation stage. These aspects can include, what impact does residual binder play and what impact can restabilising have on particle size distribution. The paper will review these technical considerations and provide commentary on previous findings and subsequent evaluation needs.

It is important to also understand that the benefits of recycling through pavement stabilisation can be realised once again through the restabilisation process and result in direct cost savings along with environmental and social benefits in relation to other treatment options.

Although these principles evolve around basic road engineering practices, which can be applied in any circumstance and in any geographical location, information will be presented with Queensland specific references and examples to ensure relevance to the target audit of the IPWEAQ State Conference.