Chapman-Vagg, Kaz (2020) Effective Road Pavement Reconstruction in Fraser Coast Region QLD. [USQ Project]
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Abstract
The Fraser Coast is located in the Wide Bay Burnett Region, Queensland, approximately 250km north of Brisbane and spans an area of 7,105km2 with a population density of 15 people per square kilometre. The region is developed on expansive soil, alluvium deposits and sand. The Fraser Coast Regional Council, the local authority in the region, undertakes a programme of road reconstructions each year as part of their capital works programme.
This dissertation sought to critically evaluate the road reconstruction practices at the Fraser Coast Regional Council and determine the effectiveness of the pavement profiles used while suggesting alternative options. This was done by identifying eight (8) roads which had been reconstructed within the last 10 years and obtaining all as constructed and project data. Site investigations were then undertaken to evaluate the existing pavement conditions and then compared with the laser profilometer data from 2017.
The investigation revealed the performance of reconstructed pavements in the region was varied with many roads demonstrating failures and surface distress. Design checks were undertaken to verify the pavement designs and it was found that generally they were sufficient for the input parameters, demonstrating sound design practices. However, the investigation revealed that the design traffic and traffic growth assumptions were often incorrect, meaning that in some cases the pavement designs could be improved. Construction and material issues are the likely causes of distress in failed pavements with correctly assumed design input parameters.
While the council has been successful in many aspects of the reconstruction process, it is imperative that they ensure accurate design assumptions and input data to feed into their established design procedure. Continued due diligence in the construction phase in the form of quality assurance, audit testing and site inspections should be adequate to ensure the conformance of pavements to specification. This process will help alleviate the possibility of premature degradation of suitably designed pavement structures.
This dissertation also sought to conduct a life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) on three (3) alternative pavement designs to consider their suitability to the Fraser Coast. The options included one unbound granular, one modified granular and one concrete pavement. The LCCA ultimately found that of the alternative designs, the modified granular pavement with lightly bound CTB subbase represented the most value over its life cycle.
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| Item Type: | USQ Project |
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| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Historic - Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Civil Engineering and Surveying (1 Jul 2013 - 31 Dec 2021) |
| Supervisors: | Nataatmadja, Andreas |
| Qualification: | Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Civil) |
| Date Deposited: | 25 Aug 2021 03:22 |
| Last Modified: | 26 Jun 2023 03:56 |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/43074 |
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