Utilization of the Pavement Condition Index for Roller Compacted Concrete Pavements: A Case Study in Türkiye

AUTHORS: Yilmaz, M.C.; Akbelen, B.; Gungor, A.G.; Yilmaz, Y.; and Yaman, I.O.

ABSTRACT: Pavements may experience premature deterioration due to various factors, such as traffic density, increased axle loads, overloading, climatic influences, design and construction deficiencies, and subgrade conditions. Evaluating the condition of existing pavements is crucial to assess the extent and underlying causes of degradation. This assessment facilitates timely decision-making by road owners regarding maintenance and repair interventions, aimed at achieving the intended service life of the pavement while optimizing resource utilization. This study focuses on assessing the performance of an existing roller compacted concrete (RCC) pavement and investigate the relation between pavement performance and subgrade conditions. Specifically, we evaluate the performance of an RCC road in the Esmeahmediye-Avluburun region of Kartepe District, Kocaeli Province, marking the first instance of applying performance evaluation concepts to RCC pavements in Türkiye. Utilizing the Pavement Condition Index (PCI) methodology outlined in ASTM D6433-23, we determined PCI values ranging between 34.9 and 73.5, with an average of 53.8, indicative of an overall “poor” condition of the road. Additionally, we established a strong linear relationship (coefficient of determination = 0.69) between average PCI values and average California Bearing Ratio (CBR) values for the case study. However, our analysis revealed that the subgrade's CBR value alone is insufficient to accurately predict RCC pavement performance. Hence, we advocate for incorporating climatic conditions, drainage characteristics, and comprehensive subgrade data into predictive models to enhance the precision of RCC pavement deterioration forecasts.