China has moved its national economy into a continuous upwards and stable development stage since this country implemented economic reform and "open door to foreigners policy" in the mid-1980s. This has brought a good opportunity for booming its road construction and improving highway transportation. Over the last 10 years, a large quantity of high graded highways or freeways has been built within the country. As a result, a significant change has been made from backward traffic condition to a better highway transport facilities.

In order to meet the standards of high graded highways required by Ministry of Communications of China, we organized a research group, consisting of many scientists and engineers from universities, highway research institutes and highway design agencies, to study the design method of asphalt pavement at semi-rigid base conditions. Based on the study, the previous version of the Code of Flexible Pavement Design gf Highway, JTJO14-86, was revised and now it is renamed as Code of Asphalt Pavement Design of Highway, JTJ014-97. The new code will come into effect on the first of October, 1997. The key points and major contents of the new code is described explicitly.