Through the Austroads' pavement technology review panel, Austroads provides the lead forum in Australia and New Zealand on road pavement technology. Austroads manages pavement technology development and education, monitors international innovations, harmonises standards and codes of practice, and facilitates information exchange and technology transfer among road organisations in the public and private sectors.

Austroads has developed a number of distinctive Guides, one of which deals with Pavement Technology in detail. Each Austroads Guide has an associated review panel comprised of senior representatives from Austroads jurisdictions and key stakeholders. Industry groups such as AAPA, AustStab, CCAA and Roading NZ are represented on the pavement technology review panel. The purpose of the review panel is to oversee the development and review of the Guides. Review panel members advise on the scope, structure and broad content of the Guides and facilitate development and ongoing maintenance of the Guides.

This page provides information about the structure of the Guide to Pavement Technology. All parts are available from the Austroads publications website.

The Guide to Pavement Technology covers the following areas:

Part 1: Introduction to Pavement Technology

A background document including:

• purpose and function of pavements
• pavement types and their components
• pavement materials
• types of pavements
• introduction to the fundamentals of pavement behaviour.

Part 2: Pavement Structural Design

Broadly base structural design of sealed road pavements including:

• assessment of input parameters needed for design
• design methods for flexible and rigid pavements
• guidance on economic comparisons of alternative pavement designs.

Part 3: Pavement Surfacings

Selection of the most appropriate pavement surfacing:

• based on the existing Guide to the Selection of Road Surfacings, with updates flowing from the Austroads research into bituminous surfacings.

Part 4: Pavement Materials

Selection of all types of road pavement materials:

• matching materials to performance requirements
• materials' design, manufacture, construction, in-service performance and end of life use
• guidelines for the selection of pavement materials.

Part 4: Pavement Materials contains specific sub parts with detailed advice on individual materials:

Part 4A: Granular Base and Sub Base Materials

Selection and testing of unbound granular materials and aggregates for pavement construction including:

• naturally-occurring granular materials
• crushed rock produced by the crushing and screening of hard source rock.

Part 4B: Asphalt

• overview of the principal types of asphalt
• selection of asphalt mix type
• selection of component materials
• asphalt mix design
• performance characterisation, and manufacture and placing.

Part 4C: Materials for Concrete Road Pavements

• use of concrete as a base layer and a subbase layer
• elastic parameters and performance characteristics.

Part 4D: Stabilised Materials

• practical advice and direction for the stabilisation of road pavements and subgrades
• advice for asset managers and practitioners in pavement design, construction and maintenance operations to optimise the benefits of stabilisation technology.

Part 4E: Recycled Materials

• selection and testing of recycled construction and demolition wastes, and industrial by-products for pavement construction.

Part 4F: Bituminous Binders

Use of bituminous materials in pavement construction:

• overview of the fundamental properties of bituminous binders
• selection of the most appropriate binder type
• performance characterisation, manufacture and placement
• advice on the use of bituminous binders in both spray seal applications and in asphalt mix design.

Part 4G: Geotextiles and Geogrids

Selection of the most appropriate geotextile and geogrid for pavement construction:

• overview of the fundamental properties of geotextiles and geogrids
• selection of geotextile and geogrid
• performance characterisation, manufacture and placement.

Part 4H: Test Methods

Description of test methods to ensure consistent properties and performance:

• characterisation of pavement materials
• design of spray seals
• calibration of laboratory and field equipment
• binder performance and specification.

Part 4I: Earthworks Materials

Characteristics and properties of in situ materials such as subgrades:

• performance characteristics
• vulnerability to moisture ingress
• construction considerations.

Part 4J: Aggregate and Source Rock

Selection, testing and specification of source rock for use in pavement materials:

• crushed rock
• production and required properties of crushed and screened river gravels.

Part 4K: Seals

• design aspects of a seal
• primary spread rates and spray rates.

Complements Parts 3, 4F and 4J.

Part 4L: Stabilising Binders

• Properties of binders (e.g. cement and lime).

Complements Parts 4C and 4D.

Part 5: Pavement Evaluation and Treatment Design

• investigation of existing sealed road pavements
• selection and design of pavement strategies/treatments
• pavement investigation, testing and evaluation
• identification of causes and modes of distress, and description of treatment options.

Part 6: Unsealed Pavements

Management of unsealed road pavements:

• structural design
• materials selection and improvement
• treatment selection
• construction and maintenance
• surface characteristics.

Part 7: Pavement Maintenance

Techniques and methods for carrying out a number of routine maintenance tasks, with emphasis on ad hoc activities (not pre-programmed) e.g. pothole filling and 'holding actions'. Complements Part 5.

Part 8: Pavement Construction

How to ensure that the 'as constructed' pavement layers meet the design requirements:

• concepts and principles
• case studies
• new flexible and rigid pavements
• flexible and rigid pavement rehabilitation treatments
• recycled asphalt.

Part 9: Pavement Work Practices

Sources of technical notes and similar publications related to pavement work practices produced by Austroads, Austroads member organisations and industry associations.

Part 10: Subsurface Drainage

Covers Australasian practice in the design, construction and maintenance of subsurface drainage systems Guidance on:

• types of subsurface drainage systems and procedures to design these systems
• materials used for subsurface drainage
• construction and maintenance of subsurface drainage systems
• the use of moisture barriers to inhibit seasonal moisture changes.