Modeling of Chip Seal Performance on Kansas Highways

Due to traffic loading and weathering, highway pavements deteriorate starting immediately after construction. Many rehabilitation methods are available to bring deteriorated pavements back to an appropriate level of service for road users. One of these methods, chip seal, has been widely used in many states, including Kansas. This study evaluated the performance of chip seal treatments in Kansas. The study used pavement condition data from the Pavement Management Information System (PMIS) database. The data include detailed distress information of most chip seal rehabilitation projects on Kansas highways from the last two decades. The multiple linear regression method was used to develop linear models that can predict distress progression and variation in performance of chip-sealed pavement. The effect of age of pavements and traffic loading on the performance of chip seals was also evaluated. Appropriate models for predicting roughness and rutting have been developed and validated. Models for transverse and fatigue cracking are not encouraging.