Cell-Filled Concrete Roads an Alternative to Rural Roads – A Case Study in Karnataka

The main role of the present work is to conduct pavement performance evaluation of Cell Filled Concrete road constructed in Sidlaghatta taluk of Chickaballapura District in Karnataka. The study area selected is from Anur Hunasenahalli to T-07 (2.16 km) in Sidlaghatta Taluk. The above selected road is categorized under Village Roads (VR) and is constructed under the Technology Demonstration Project of PMGSY phase IX. The objective of the work was to conduct Pavement Performance Studies on the said road which include the Structural and Functional evaluations. Detailed surveys were carried out on the above said stretch. For Functional evaluation, roughness was measured using MERLIN and Pavement condition survey by longitudinal /transverse cracking, severity of potholes and area of patching has been measured. In the traffic surveys different types of vehicles including commercial vehicles have been recorded for 72 hours (24 hours X 3 days). In the axle load surveys, type of vehicle, number of axles and load on each axle has been recorded to determine the Vehicle damage factor (VDF). In the non-destructive structural evaluation, Deflection studies using Benkelman Beam Deflectometer (BBD) was done. The BBD test was conducted to know the rebound deflection of cell-filled pavement layer of thickness between 40 to 100 mm. The evaluation has been carried out in three cycles at an interval of four months. The structural evaluation results observed on this road based on BBD test, in which characteristic deflections are under the prescribed limits as per the IRC provisions and results based on VDF and MSA is also within the limits, since a very low traffic is plying on this road. The functional evaluation results observed as per MERLIN test, the IRI values are close to 3.0 m/km which is of less impact to riding quality. And as per the pavement condition survey, the pavement looked good except a little distresses found with few percentages of cracking (cells exposed), patching, potholes and roughness. Evaluation of distresses has been done considering pavement condition index (PCI) and found to be satisfactory as per PCI rating.