American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials

Special Committee on Research and Innovation

 

FY2023 NCHRP PROBLEM STATEMENT TEMPLATE

 

Problem Number:  2023-C-06

 

Problem Title

Impact of Flooding and Inundation on the Resiliency of Pavements

 

Background Information and Need For Research

 

The resiliency of pavements after inundation by flooding will gain greater significance in the foreseeable future. For many years, transportation agencies have dealt with the aftermath of flooding from major storm events, but the threat of sea level rise from global climate change now looms more ominously. During the 20th century, the sea level rose 15-20 centimeters (roughly 1.5 to 2.0 mm/year), with the rate accelerating towards the end of the century.

 

Climatological projections predict an even faster sea level rise in the 21st century. For example, the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact is estimating the SE Florida region will experience an increase between 9 and 24 inches in the next 50 years. To help mitigate some of the impacts, the region has already implemented $400 million worth of mitigation/adaption projects of to construct 2 pump stations to in part to keep the roads from flooding.

 

FHWA Technical Brief on Climate Change and Pavement Sustainability (FHWA-HIF-15-015) provides an introduction on how pavements may be fortified against climate change impacts due to extreme conditions, such as longer heat waves and severe flooding, and explains how these changes will accelerate the deterioration of highway pavements. However, it recognizes that the state of the practice is largely limited to general observations and is lacking with regards to specific adaptation strategies.

 

This proposed research will answer the following questions:

1.   What is the impact of flooding on the short- and long-term resiliency of pavements?

2.   What is the sensitivity of individual pavement design features to mitigate or reduce the negative effects of flooding on resiliency?

3.   What asset management strategies can be used for pavements exposed to prolonged flood events?

 

This relates to AASHTO Committee on Materials and Pavement’s (COMP’s) Strategic Plan - Goal 1.1 – Update Materials Standards and Goal 3 – Develop and Champion Research for COMP.

 

Literature Search Summary

Existing research documentation related to this topic discuss primarily real-time assessments of flooded pavements for purposes opening back to traffic, and reducing water intrusion through pavement design, materials selection and construction methods. No comprehensive resiliency evaluation of inundated pavements of all types, accompanied by full scale testing, has occurred.

 

Research Objective

The objective of this research is to determine the impact that submergence and inundation related to flooding and sea-level rise have on the long-term performance of a pavement system and provide guidance on improving pavement resiliency.  It is anticipated the work will be structured as shown in the following phases and tasks:

 

Phase 1

Task 1. Conduct a literature review of the performance of pavements with respect to inundation and submergence. Summarize the information collected noting pertinent results as appropriate. Identify any gaps in the information. Document the results in a technical memorandum.

 

Task 2. Develop a detailed research plan to address the knowledge gaps identified in Task 1. It is anticipated this plan would include building laboratory and full-scale, asphalt and concrete pavement test sections that can be inundated so that the differences in the short term responses (e.g. stress, strain and deflection, etc.) and accelerated load testing performances (faulting, cracking, deflection, material properties etc.) between flooded and non-flooded test sections could be evaluated. Another portion of the research could entail doing pavement testing on pavements inundated by flooding from actual events from storms in order to compare the field results with the laboratory and full-scale test results.

 

Task 3. Prepare an interim report that documents the research performed in Phase I. Include an updated work plan for Phase 2.

 

Phase 2

Task 4. Execute the work plan approved in Task 3. Based on the results of this work, recommend a methodology for quantifying the impacts of flooding on pavements. Identify pavement properties that may influence performance and identify test methods and protocols (e.g., FWD, GPR or other tests/instrumentation) that can be used to evaluate and/or quantify the near-term load capacity and the long-term pavement damage / performance reduction caused by inundation.

 

Task 5. Document results and propose guidelines, standard practices, training sessions and other activities that can be given to practicing engineers for limiting flood damage to new and existing concrete pavements.

 

Task 6. Perform technology transfer / training concerning the project findings, guidelines and tools in a one-day pilot workshop to FHWA and DOT participants. Revise project training materials and deliverables, as necessary, based on comments received following this workshop.

 

Task 7. Submit final versions of all project training materials and deliverables, along with a final report that documents the entire research effort.

 

Urgency and Potential Benefits

Weather and flooding events already negatively influence pavement systems. Many States; including Louisiana, Florida, North Carolina, Colorado, Vermont, Tennessee, Iowa, Texas, Missouri and Nebraska; have experienced severe precipitation events and flooding during the past several years.  Fortification of pavement systems is critically needed in areas of potential flooding.

 

Implementation Considerations And Supporters

The results of this work will be disseminated to transportation departments through training, such as webinars, and will be adopted by them through guidelines for modifications of pavement design methods, construction specifications, material specifications, etc.

 

AASHTO Committee on Materials and Pavements (COMP) – Ranked #1

 

TRB committees and Chairs

TRB Committee AKP20 – Concrete Pavement Design and Rehabilitation, Georgene Geary, 770-337-5817, ggeary@ggfga.com

TRB Committee AKP30 – Asphalt Pavement Design and Rehabilitation, Dave Timm, 334-844-6282, timmdav@auburn.edu

TRB Committee AKC50 – Concrete Pavement Construction and Rehabilitation, Sabrina Garber,  512-451-6233 Ext 242, sgarber@thetranstecgroup.com 

TRB Committee AKC60 – Asphalt Pavement Construction and Rehabilitation, Adam Hand, 775-784-1439, adamhand@unr.edu

 

Recommended Research Funding And Research Period

Recommended Funding:  Estimated cost of research and development is $650,000.

 

Research Period: 24 months.

 

Problem Statement Author(s): For each author, provide their name, affiliation, email address and phone.

James W. Mack, CEMEX, jamesw.mack@cemex.com

 

Potential Panel Members: For each panel member, provide their name, affiliation, email address and phone.

 

Members of AASHTO COMP Technical Subcommittee 5d - Pavement Design, John Donahue (Chair), 573-526-4334, john.donahue@modot.mo.gov

 

Person Submitting The Problem Statement: Name, affiliation, email address and phone.

Mark E. Felag, AASHTO COMP Secretary on behalf of AASHTO COMP, 401-245-1327, mfelag@hotmail.com

 

Note: This was ranked #1 for COMP.