Course Description

See the defect. Diagnose the cause. Choose the right response.

Cracking, rutting, ravelling, flushing and potholes may be easy to see. Deciding what caused them, and what to do next, requires deeper technical judgement.

NTRO’s Pavement and Surface Performance and Defects course develops that judgement.

Start by examining how granular, asphalt and concrete pavements are constructed and how different surfacings protect the underlying layers. Understanding what is beneath the road is essential: the same visible defect can require a very different response depending on the pavement structure, material condition, traffic and environment. Learn to identify common surface and pavement defects using consistent terminology. Assess their type, severity and extent, then consider how they affect road-user safety, ride quality and remaining service life.

The workshop connects each defect with its possible causes. Explore how moisture, drainage, material quality, construction, traffic loading, ageing and environmental conditions can produce similar symptoms – and why treating the symptom alone can lead to repeated failure. Move from observation to investigation. Compare visual inspections, automated condition surveys, pavement-strength testing, coring, sampling, pits and laboratory testing. Learn how to choose an investigation that is proportionate to the problem and capable of supporting a defensible treatment decision. Real road case studies bring the process together. Examine the pavement history, identify the defects, consider likely causes and compare repair options – from crack sealing and patching to resurfacing, overlays, stabilisation and full rehabilitation.

Led by NTRO pavement specialists, the workshop combines technical guidance with extensive photographs and field examples. Ask questions, test your judgement and work through the decisions road managers and engineers face when evidence is incomplete and budgets are limited.

Enrol now and build the confidence to diagnose pavement problems before committing to a treatment.

Course structure

Pavement and surfacing behaviour – understand common pavement structures, materials and surfacing types.
Repair and treatment options – compare temporary repairs, resurfacing, overlays, patching and rehabilitation.
Surface defects – identify cracking, delamination, embedment, flushing, polishing, ravelling and other surface problems.
Pavement defects – examine structural cracking, deformation, rutting, shoving, potholes, edge failures and shape loss.
Pavement investigations – select visual, automated, structural, field and laboratory investigation methods.
Diagnosis through case studies – use road history, condition evidence and test results to evaluate causes and treatment options.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
Explain how different pavement and surfacing types behave and deteriorate.
Identify common pavement and surface defects using consistent terminology and assess their severity and extent.
Evaluate likely causes and explain how defects affect safety, serviceability and pavement life.
Select appropriate visual, structural, field and laboratory investigation methods.
Compare repair, resurfacing and rehabilitation options using condition, whole-of-life and safety considerations.