ABSTRACT
The proper structural design of an asphalt pavement is an integral part of the pavement’s life span and its ability to serve the pavement’s intended function. The thickness of the pavement layer is the most significant part of the structural integrity of the asphalt pavement. Compared with a building design, the structural design of an at-grade parking lot or other low speed pavements involves a somewhat lesser risk to public safety. Pavement design is generally concerned with the economic risks of investing too little or too much in materials and construction. The term “conservative” in the context of pavement design usually refers to risks in the economic sense.
