Major highways are designed to withstand heavy vehicles and high traffic volumes year round. However, low-volume roads (LVRs) in seasonal frost areas are extremely susceptible to damage from trafficking by heavy vehicles during spring thaw. As a result, the maintenance-free life of an LVR in a seasonal frost area averages less than half that of a similar road in a nonfrost area. This study serves as a practical primer on addressing thaw weakening of LVRs: it offers guidance for identifying frost-susceptible soils, summarizes methods used and currently undergoing research to determine when conditions are critical, and provides several solutions for avoiding the costly impact of spring thaw on LVRs. Diagnostic tools and recommended road-usage techniques are provided for existing roads; alternative design techniques are presented for new and reconstructed roads. Tools and techniques are applicable across much of Europe, North America, and Asia; some also apply to wet areas outside seasonal frost areas.


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    Title :

    Techniques for Extending the Life of Low-Volume Roads in Seasonal Frost Areas


    Additional title:

    Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board


    Contributors:


    Publication date :

    2003-01-01




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English




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