Prediction of Flexible Pavement Degradation: Application to Rutting in Cameroonian Highways Gilbert Tchemou Geotechnical Engineer, Ph.D., Lecturer ENSET, The University of Douala, Cameroon Lezin Seba Minsili IABSE Member, Senior Structural Engineer, Ph.D., Senior Lecturer LMM Laboratory, ENSP, The University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé Cameroon e-mail: lezinsm@yahoo.com Apollinaire M. Mokotemapa Senior Structural Engineer, Researcher LMM Laboratory, ENSP, The University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé Cameroon Robert Medjo Eko Senior Geotechnical Engineer, Ph.D., Associate Professor Faculty of Sciences, The University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé Cameroon Jean Hervé Manguelle Highway Engineer, Graduate Student LMM Laboratory, ENSP, The University of Yaoundé I, Yaoundé Cameroon
			ABSTRACT

The present paper is a pushover for preventive maintenance activities performed on flexible pavements. It is undertaken to enhance their performance and to limit the life-cycle costs of highway facilities. Theoretical degradation models are based on the superposition method in each pavement layer and on its elasto-visco-plastic behavior resulting from the wheel-pavement mechanical interaction. Flexible pavement degradation level is measured through the rut depth formulated in the transformed field domain using experimental data of in-situ conditions with specific parameters. The rutting depth is developed in a finite element program to allow the user in a simplistic manner to investigate and control effects of various parameters on the rutting process, and to better understand flexible pavements behavior. Obtained results on permanent stresses and deformations, and on their direct correlation with the accumulation of rutting and degradations in various directions, have triggered local highway authorities to contextualize modern preventive maintenance strategies in Cameroon.

Keywords: Rutting, flexible pavement, elasto-visco-plastic behaviour, stress, deformation, deterioration, preventive maintenance.

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