A Proposed Pay Adjustment Method for Highways Construction.

Document Type : Research Studies

Author

Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.

Abstract

The influence of variations in asphalt t concrete mix properties on pavement  performance during Its life is a critical factor in highways construction. Although other  pavement's layers; base course, subbase and subgrade have also important effect on  performance: however, they can easily be adjusted early during the construction.  Shortly after being laid the asphalt concrete surface layer hardens; therefore, no 
adjustment can be applied. An asphalt concrete surface layer can be characterized by  its percent air voids, percent asphalt con tent, asphalt properties, percent  filler and  aggregate type and gradation.  
Quite often material quality does not meet specification requirements. The effect   of this nonconformation on the pavement serviceability has not been established;  however, it results in reduced payments to contractors. The pay adjustment methods  currently used in Egypt is based mainly on discounting the present cost of materials  lost out of the mix from the contractor's payment. This method of penalizing the  contractor is not based on sound engineering principles. Thus, it is not always a reliable  measure of pavement's reduced serviceability.  
The purpose of this study is to develop a pay adjustment method that is based  on the actual serviceability of pavement. It was based on the serviceability of pavement  defined in the ASSHTO method of thickness design. It was assumed that the maximum  penalty a contractor can ever pay was equivalent to an adjusted cost of an overlay  which upgrads the pavement to its design serviceability. The actual penalty wa5; then,  computed based on the actual loss of serviceability experienced over time. Summary  tables and figures that facilitate presenting the method and its application through  a simple example are included.  
 
 

Main Subjects