Best Practices for the Design and Construction of Low Volume Roads - REVISED

This report presents information about the use of the mechanistic-empirical procedure (MnPAVE) in designing hot-mix asphalt pavements in Minnesota. Researchers developed the MnPAVE software program using information from the Minnesota Road Research Project (Mn/ROAD) test facility and from 40-year-old test sections around Minnesota. MnPAVE procedures use Equivalent Standard Axle Loads (ESALs) to evaluate traffic loading, and the report includes methods to estimate these values for design purposes over a 20-year design life, as well as a procedure to measure vehicle type distributions. In addition, the report presents an evaluation of subgrade soils for each thickness design procedure, summarizes Minnesota Department of Transportation specifications that relate to embankment soil construction and to construction of the pavement section materials, and recommends specific density or quality compaction using a control strip. It also includes best practices on setting up projects most effectively to follow specifications.