In order to transfer from the conventional and empirical asphalt
pavement design method used in Japan to a mechanistic design method,
a test road was constructed on National Highway 36 in Hokkaido,
in August 1990. The test road, called the Bibi New Test Road has
eight different pavement structures. Since its construction, traffic
monitoring, and surface distress and deflection surveys have been
regularly conducted. Performance data have been obtained regarding
surface distress and deflection for up to 6.2 million of equivalent
49kN wheel load. The performance curves in relation to the surface
distress were approximated by the exponential function with correlation
coefficients of 0.98 and greater. The Structural Suitability Index
(SSI), based on fatigue damage to the asphalt mixture, was proposed
as an index of structural adequacy. The SSI performance curves
were approximated by the exponential function with correlation
coefficients of 0.93 and greater.