The bearing capacity and service life of a pavement is adversely affected by the presence of undrained water in the pavement layers. In cold climates like in Iowa, this problem is magnified further by the risk of frost damage when water is present. Therefore, well-performing subsurface drainage systems form an important aspect of pavement design by the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT).
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Previous studies have reported that properly-designed, constructed, and maintained pavements that incorporate positive subsurface drainage features can extend the life of a pavement greatly. However, controversial findings are also reported in the literature regarding the benefits of subsurface drainage.
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In addition, the use of recycled portland cement concrete (PCC) as a granular subbase is a prevalent pavement construction practice by the Iowa DOT. A previous study showed that excessive fines in recycled PCC can cause deposits to form on the subdrain rodent guards, blocking the outlet.
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In light of the recent Iowa DOT field maintenance staff reductions, budget cuts, and their implications on subdrain outlet maintenance, there is a need to determine the impacts of not maintaining the subdrain outlets on pavement performance in Iowa.
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