The Value of Pavement Performance Surveys

Post-war planning is the theme of practically all recent engineering meetings. This Thirtieth Annual Purdue Road School is no exception. You have already heard some interesting discussions on highway post­ war planning. Other papers will be presented at the following ses­ sions dealing with this very timely subject. Engineers are generally agreed that considerable thought should be given to this most important subject of the post-war planning of our highway systems. From the information that has been advanced it appears that for the first three or four years after the war considerably more money will be available for highway work than was spent in the last several years before Pearl Harbor. During this war period, when construction has been curtailed to a minimum, many of our highways serving the war effort are being taxed to the utmost. The theory that highways are expendable has been advanced by some, and from our observations during the “break­ up” last spring this seems to be true. Many of our state highway departments have been organized since World W ar I. In Indiana, our State Highway Commission was or­ ganized in 1919. The first pavements were built that year. Not too much factual information was available for the engineers charged with the responsibility of designing and building these early roads. Rapid progress has been made during the past twenty years; yet we have only begun to place highway design and construction on a truly scientific basis. For the purpose of this paper I would like to discuss with you one of the ways in which research can contribute to our knowledge of the art of road building. In Indiana, as in other states, many of the pavements are now at an age in which differences in performance are quite apparent. Some of our roads are now showing definite signs of distress under the climatic and traffic conditions to which they are exposed. Why are certain sections failing? Why are other pavements of comparable age still giving good performance? Research can contribute greatly to the art