Performance of Whitetopping in Florida

Since 1988, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has been monitoring the performance of the first experimental Whitetopping project in Florida for possible implementation as an option for rehabilitation of rutted and cracked asphalt pavements. The project includes three major sections with thicknesses of 150 mm (6 in.), 175 mm (7 in.) and 200 mm (8 in.), respectively. Each major section includes three different joint spacings and two dowel configurations. The sections also include a few undoweled joints to compare their performance with that of the doweled joints. A control section was constructed to compare its performance with that of the Whitetopping. In 1989, 1992, 1998 and 2005, the FDOT performed the Falling Weight Deflectometer, crack survey and fault measurements on the project. The paper discusses the design, construction and performance of Whitetopping after more than17 years under traffic. The condition evaluation and the deflection test results indicate that the Whitetopping project has performed very well, should exceed its 20 year design life by many years, and is a viable rehabilitation option for poor performing asphalt pavements.