Maccaferri Inc.

10303 Governor Lane Boulevard

Williamsport, MD 21795-3116
Tel: 301-223-6910
fax: 301-223-6134
www.maccaferri-usa.com

Design of Flexible Pavements with Maccaferri Geogrids

Welcome to Maccaferri FlexPave, a simplified Excel® worksheet for the design of flexible pavements with and wi
Maccaferri Geogrids, utilizing the AASHTO 93 design guidelines.
For additional information, please refer to Maccaferri technical note on Design of Flexible Pavements.

BEGIN DESIGN READ DISCLAIMER

Prepared by Maccaferri Inc.

 DISCLAIMER

All information contained herein has been prepared for the benefit of customers
interested in Maccaferri Engineered products and is provided as a service to the
user. All information and recommendations were carefully compiled and
reviewed prior to publication to the best of Maccaferri’s knowledge. Final
determination of the suitability of any information, material and
recommendations for applications contemplated is the sole responsibility of the
user.

BACK TO
BEGIN DESIGN
MAIN SCREEN
 Calculation of Required Thickness
D1
Asphalt

D2 Base

Maccaferri Geosynthetic

D3 Sub-Base

Subgrade

Pavement Cross-Section

BACK TO THICKNESS OF
MAIN SCREEN BASE

Prepared by Maccaferri Inc.

THICKNESS OF BASE COURSE
Input Data Output Data
Project Title: life cycle benefit analysis
Subgrade: CBR = 15.00 Structural Number: SN = 4.22
MR (psi) Reset
* 22500.0
Reliability: R (%) = 90 inch cm
Standard Deviation: So = 0.45 Thick. w/o Geosynthetics: D2 = 7.78 19.7
Design Traffic Load: w18 (ESAL) = 11,500,000 Thick. with Maccaferri Geogrids: D2* = 6.48 16.5
W18=w18*FR (ESAL) =
Reset 43,390,639 Reduction in Thickness: D2-D2* = 1.30 3.3
Serviceability Loss: DPSI = 1.7 Cost Savings: $/yd2 = -$1.94 -
Maccaferri Geogrid: LCR = 1.2 $/m2 = - -$2.32
Price ($/yd2) = $2.30
Asphalt Layer: D1 (inch) = 6.70 ###
a1 = 0.38
Base Layer: a2 = 0.13
m2 = 1.00
Price ($/yd3) = $10.00
Sub-Base Layer: D3 (inch) = 5.91
a3 = 0.12
m3 = 1.00
Notes:
1) Please note that the two “Reset” buttons allow for the calculation of the subgrade “MR” and the traffic “W18” from “CBR” and “w18”
respectively. The user, however, has the option to insert these values directly into the assigned cells if they were known.
2) Click on "Calculate Time to Drain" button to calculate the time to drain for the designed pavement cross section. Based on the time to drain, you can
select a corresponding drainage coefficient from the attached table (as a comment for the cell).

GO TO CALCULATE BASE VIEW MACCAFERRI

PREVIOUS SCREEN CALCULATE TIME TO DRAIN GEOGRIDS SPECIFICATIONS
THICKNESS

Prepared by Maccaferri Inc.

D6:
Subgrade Resilient Modulus,
use the CBR x 1500 as a default value

D7: Suggested Reliability Values

Urban Rural
Interstate and other freeways 85-99.9 80-99.9
Principal Arterials 80-99 75-95
Collectors 80-95 75-95
Local 50-80 50-80

D11:
DPSI = Po-Pt
Po: Initial serviceability index = approx. 4.2
Pt: Terminal serviceability index

D17: Recommended "m" Values

_________________________________________________________________________________
Quality of Drainage Percent of Time Pavement Structure is Exposed to Moisture Levels
(water removed within) Approaching Saturation
_________________________________________________________________________________
Less than 1% 1-5% 5-25% Greater than 25%
_________________________________________________________________________________
Excellent (2 hours) 1.40-1.35 1.35-1.30 1.30-1.20 1.20

Good (1 day) 1.35-1.25 1.25-1.15 1.15-1.00 1.00

Fair (1 week) 1.25-1.15 1.15-1.05 1.00-0.80 0.80

Poor (1 month) 1.15-1.05 1.05-0.80 0.80-0.60 0.60

Very poor 1.05-0.95 0.95-0.75 0.75-0.40 0.40

(will not drain)
_________________________________________________________________________________
*Please refere to Tenax's GRID-DE 2 Technical Note for further details

Prepared by Maccaferri Inc.

Time To Drain Calculations
Input Data Output

Roadway Geometry
Width of permeable base W (ft) = 10.00 Resultant slope
Longitudinal slope S (ft/ft) = 0.005 Resultant length
Cross slope Sx (ft) = 0.020 Slope Factor
Base Course Material Time Factor
Thickness H (ft) = 0.49 "m" Factor
Effective Porosity No = 0.10 Time to Drain
Coefficient of Permeability k (ft/day) = 1.00

LR

W SR
Sx

For more details refer to Maccaferri Inc., 2001, "Design Manual For Roadway Geocomposite Underdrain Systems"

CONTINUE TO THICKNESS
CALCULATIONS
 SR= (S2+Sx2)1/2 = 0.021
LR= W*[1+(S/Sx)2]1/2 = 10.31
Sl= LR*SR/H = 0.43
T50 = 0.44
m (days)=No*LR2/k*H = 21.59
t (hours)=T50*m*24 = 226.82

ite Underdrain Systems"

 s
Maccaferri Geogrids Series

Maccaferri Geogrids series is a multilayer Geogrid consisting of high strength extruded biaxially oriented polypropylene
geogrids. The layers are rolled and stitched together without superimposing the meshes creating a Geogrid with random
sized apertures designed to accommodate a variety of fill materials. The random aperture geometry, many tensile elements
and multiple layers of the Geogrid enhance soil/Geogrid interaction.
Maccaferri Geogrids greatly improve the geogrid interlocking capacity, distribute applied loads, and prevent localized
shear failure.

Typical applications:
- Soft soil stabilization
- Base reinforcement
- Embankments over weak soils
- Working platforms
- Haul roads

Go To EB2 Geogrid
Specifications
GO TO Go To EB3 Geogrid
PREVIOUS SCREEN Specifications

Prepared by Maccaferri Inc.

Maccaferri EB2
MULTILAYER BI-ORIENTED GEOGRIDS

Maccaferri EB2 geogrid is composed of two layers of high strength extruded biaxially oriented polypropylene
geogrids. The layers are rolled and stitched together without superimposing the meshes creating a geogrid with
random sized apertures designed to accommodate a variety of fill materials. The random aperture geometry,
many tensile elements and multiple layers of the geogrid enhance soil/geogrid interaction.
Maccaferri EB2 geogrid greatly improves the geogrid interlocking capacity, distributes applied loads, and prevents
localized shear failure.
Typical applications:
- soft soil stabilization - base reinforcement - embankments over weak soils - working platforms - haul roads

MATERIAL TEST METHOD DATA

CHARACTERISTICS
STRUCTURE LAYERS OF BI-ORIENTED GEOGRIDS
SEWN TOGETHER
POLYMER TYPE POLYPROPYLENE
CARBON BLACK CONTENT ASTM D4218 0.50%

TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS TEST METHOD UNIT EB2 Notes

TEST DIRECTION MD TD
PEAK TENSILE STRENGTH GRI-GG1 lb/ft (kN/m) 925 (13.5) 1400 (20.5) a,c,e
TTURE INITIAL MODULUS IN USE GRI-GG1 lb/ft (kN/m) 15,508 (226.4) 24,667 (360.1) a,c,e
TRUE TENSILE STRENGTH at 2% STRAIN GRI-GG1 lb/ft (kN/m) 301 (4.4) 450 (6.57) a,c,e
TRUE TENSILE MODULUS at 2% STRAIN GRI-GG1 lb/ft (kN/m) 15,050 (220) 22,500 (328) a,c,e
TRUE TENSILE STRENGTH at 5% STRAIN GRI-GG1 lb/ft (kN/m) 616 (9.0) 920 (13.42) a,c,e
TENSILE MODULUS at 5% STRAIN GRI-GG1 lb/ft (kN/m) 12,320 (180) 18,400 (269) a,c,e
YIELD POINT ELONGATION GRI-GG1 % 12.0 11.0 b,c,e
JUNCTION STRENGTH GRI-GG2 lb/ft (kN/m) 835 (12.2) 1315 (19.2) a,e

DIMENSIONAL CHARACTERISTICS TEST METHOD UNIT EB2 Notes

NUMBER OF LAYERS - 2
APERTURE SIZE - MD, TD in. (mm), in. (mm) 1.65 (42), 1.96 (50) b,d,e
OPEN AREA % 75 a
UNIT WEIGHT ASTM D 5261 oz/yd2 (g/m2) 6.4 (220) b
ROLL DIMENSIONS (WIDTH x LENGTH) ftxft (mxm) 12.5x328 (3.8x100) b
ROLL AREA yd2 (m2) 455 (380) b
GROSS ROLL WEIGHT lb (kg) 217 (98.5) b

NOTES:
a) 95% lower confidence limit values, ISO 2602 d) Single layer dimension
b) Typical value e) MD : machine direction (longitudinal to the roll)
c) Tests performed using extensometers TD : transversal direction (across roll width)

Maccaferri Inc.
10303 Governor Lane Boulevard
Williamsport, MD 21795-3116
tel (301) 223-6910
fax (301) 223-6134

Prepared by Maccaferri Inc.

Maccaferri EB3
MULTILAYER BI-ORIENTED GEOGRIDS

Maccaferri EB3 geogrid is composed of three layers of high strength extruded biaxially oriented polypropylene
mesh. The layers are rolled and stitched together without superimposing the meshes creating a geogrid with
random sized apertures designed to accommodate a variety of fill materials. The random aperture geometry,
many tensile elements and multiple layers of the geogrid enhance soil/geogrid interaction.
Maccaferri EB3 geogrid greatly improves geogrid interlocking capacity, distributes applied loads, and prevents
localized shear failure.
Typical applications:
- soft soil stabilization - base reinforcement - embankments over weak soils - working platforms - haul roads

MATERIAL TEST METHOD DATA

CHARACTERISTICS
STRUCTURE LAYERS OF BI-ORIENTED GEOGRIDS
SEWN TOGETHER
POLYMER TYPE POLYPROPYLENE
CARBON BLACK CONTENT ASTM D4218 0.50%

TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS TEST METHOD UNIT EB3 Notes

TEST DIRECTION MD TD
PEAK TENSILE STRENGTH GRI-GG1 lb/ft (kN/m) 1370 (20.0) 2100 (30.7) a,c,e
TTURE INITIAL MODULUS IN USE GRI-GG1 lb/ft (kN/m) 32,962 (481.2) 44,700 (652.5) a,c,e
TENSILE STRENGTH at 2% STRAIN GRI-GG1 lb/ft (kN/m) 418 (6.1) 616 (9.0) a,c,e
TENSILE MODULUS at 2% STRAIN GRI-GG1 lb/ft (kN/m) 20,900 (305) 30,800 (450) a,c,e
TENSILE STRENGTH at 5% STRAIN GRI-GG1 lb/ft (kN/m) 925 (13.5) 1340 (19.6) a,c,e
TENSILE MODULUS at 5% STRAIN GRI-GG1 lb/ft (kN/m) 18,500 (270) 26,850 (392) a,c,e
YIELD POINT ELONGATION GRI-GG1 % 12.0 11.0 b,c,e
JUNCTION STRENGTH GRI-GG2 lb/ft (kN/m) 1230 (18) 1970 (28.8) a,e

DIMENSIONAL CHARACTERISTICS TEST METHOD UNIT EB3 Notes

NUMBER OF LAYERS - 3
APERTURE SIZE - MD, TD in. (mm), in. (mm) 1.65 (42), 1.96 (50) b,d,e
OPEN AREA % 70 a
UNIT WEIGHT ASTM D 5261 oz/yd2 (g/m2) 9.6 (330) b
ROLL DIMENSIONS (WIDTH x LENGTH) ftxft (mxm) 12.5x164 (3.8x50) b
ROLL AREA yd2 (m2) 227 (190) b
GROSS ROLL WEIGHT lb (kg) 165.0 (75.0) b

NOTES:
a) 95% lower confidence limit values, ISO 2602 d) Single layer dimension
b) Typical value e) MD : machine direction (longitudinal to the roll)
c) Tests performed using extensometers TD : transversal direction (across roll width)

Maccaferri Inc.
10303 Governor Lane Boulevard
Williamsport, MD 21795-3116
tel (301) 223-6910
fax (301) 223-6134

Prepared by Maccaferri Inc.