1.1 Introduction
TxDOT spends more than 50% of the annual construction and maintenance budget on pavements. Because of funding limitations, only a portion of pavement-related needs can be addressed. Use the approved pavement design methods specified in Section 6,
. In general, these methods are classified as either:
- an analytical process with accurate design inputs or
- past proven practices (experience-based) that may not meet conventional analytical design standards, but have a proven performance track record.
The objectives of the pavement design process are to guide the district pavement engineer (DPE) to select a pavement type, and design the pavement with an approved method using all the information needed to provide a structure that is capable of carrying traffic loads with minimum physical deterioration, maximum safety, and maximum ride comfort. Document the pavement design process in a report format as discussed in Section 9,
.