Damage Mechanism of Ultra-thin Asphalt Overlay(UTAO) based on Discrete Element Method

Aiming to analyze the damage mechanism of UTAO from the perspective of meso-mechanical mechanism using discrete element method(DEM),we conducted study of diseases problems of UTAO in several provinces in China,and found that aggregate spalling was one of the main disease types of UTAO.A discrete element model of UTAO pavement structure was constructed to explore the meso-mechanical mechanism of UTAO damage under the influence of layer thickness,gradation,and bonding modulus.The experimental results show that,as the thickness of UTAO decreasing,the maximum value and the mean value of the contact force between all aggregate particles gradually increase,which leads to aggregates more prone to spalling.Compared with OGFC-5 UTAO,AC-5 UTAO presents smaller maximum and average values of all contact forces,and the loading pressure in AC-5 UTAO is fully diffused in the lateral direction.In addition,the increment of pavement modulus strengthens the overall force of aggregate particles inside UTAO,resulting in aggregate particles peeling off more easily.The increase of bonding modulus changes the position where the maximum value of the tangential force appears,whereas has no effect on the normal force.

Fatigue Resistance of RCA Modified Asphalt Based on Dielectric Properties

In order to study the anti-fatigue performance of RCA modified asphalt (RMA),the performance of RMA and 90#matrix asphalt with different modifier content were measured by asphalt penetration,ductility,softening point,Brookfield viscosity,rheological index,infrared spectrum and dielectric constant test.This paper discusses the changes of asphalt basic indexes,fatigue properties and asphalt components based on dielectric properties under different modifier contents,and analyzes the grey correlation degree between components and asphalt pavement performance indexes.The results show that the optimum content of RCA modifier is 16.7%of the asphalt quality according to the penetration,ductility,softening point,Brockfield viscosity,viscosity temperature curve and fatigue life.In the phase angle-strain curve,there is disorder in the latter part of the curve.According to the strain (ε_(d)) corresponding to the disorder point,a new fatigue failure criterion is proposed and proved.Based on the new asphalt fatigue failure criterion,the fatigue prediction model of asphalt mixture is improved,and the fatigue life predicted by the improved fatigue model is compared with the fatigue life obtained by four-point bending fatigue test.The results show that the proposed new asphalt fatigue failure criterion is reasonable,and the fatigue life predicted by the improved asphalt mixture fatigue prediction model is accurate.The research method of classifying asphalt components based on dielectric properties is simple and effective,and the components have a high correlation with the road performance of base asphalt and modified asphalt.

Multiscale Study on Low Temperature Crack Resistance Mechanism of Steel Slag Asphalt Mixture

The objective of this paper was to study low temperature crack resistance mechanism of steel slag asphalt mixture(SAM).Thermal stress restrained specimen test(TSRST)and three-point bending test were carried out to evaluate the low-temperature crack resistance of SAM and basalt asphalt mixture(BAM).Based on the digital image correlation technique(DIC),the strain field distribution and crack propagation of SAM were analyzed from the microscopic point of view,and a new index,crack length factor(C),was proposed to evaluate the crack resistance of the asphalt mixture.The crystal phase composition and microstructure of steel slag aggregate(SA)and basalt aggregate(BA)were studied by X-ray diffraction(XRD)and scanning electron microscopy(SEM)to explore the low-temperature crack resistance mechanism of SAM.Results show that the low-temperature crack resistance of SAM is better than that of BAM;SAM has good integrity and persistent elastic deformation,and its bending failure mode is a hysteretic quasi-brittle failure;The SA surface is evenly distributed with pores and has surface roughness.SA has the composition phase of alkaline aggregate-calcite(CaCO3),so it has good adhesion to asphalt,which reveals the mechanism of excellent low-temperature crack resistance of SAM.

Preparation and Analysis of Carbon Fiber-Silicon Carbide Thermally Conductive Asphalt Concrete

An experimental investigation into the thermal conductivity of CF-SiC two-phase composite asphalt concrete is presented.The main objective of this study was to verify the possibility of using SiC powder instead of mineral powder as the thermal conductive filler to prepare a new type of asphalt concrete and improve the efficiency of electrothermal snow and ice melting systems accordingly.The thermal conductivity of asphalt concrete prepared with different thermally conductive fillers was tested by a transient plane source method,and the related performances were measured.Then the temperature rise rate and surface temperature were studied through field heating tests.Finally,the actual ice melting efficiency of the thermally conductive asphalt concrete was evaluated using an effective electrothermal system.As shown by the experimental results,the composite made of SiC powder and carbon fiber has a high thermal conductivity.When SiC replaces mineral powder,the thermal conductivity of the asphalt mixture increases first and then decreases with the increase of carbon fiber content.In the present study,in particular,the thermal conductivity attained a peak when the carbon fiber content was 0.2%of the aggregate mass.

Progression of e-ticketing implementation for state transportation agencies for asphalt materials

E-ticketing,which has been promoted by the Federal Highway Administration(FHWA)“every day counts”(EDC)initiative,utilizes software applications to digitally track and store information regarding highway construction materials paid by state transportation agencies(STAs)by weight in unit bid contract structures.STAs often face implementation barriers such as institutional inertia,or the resistance by stakeholders to adopt changes from the status quo,including new technologies.The purpose of this paper is to determine the progression of STA e-ticketing policy adoption,specifically with a focus on asphalt paving operations,due to the COVID-19 pandemic.To accomplish this research effort,previous FHWA data,National Cooperative Highway Research Program(NCHRP)data,and other literatures are reviewed to determine an implementation baseline.Additional data is collected from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials Committee on Con-struction to gain current feedback from STAs and their highway contractor partners after the COVID-19 pandemic.Additionally,a case study featuring the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet(KYTC),the Kentucky Association of Highway Contractors(KAHC),and the Plantmix Asphalt Industry of Kentucky(PAIKY)is performed to provide more in-depth analysis.The major finding includes a statistically significant result indicating increased imple-mentation of e-ticketing for asphalt operations within the last two years,along with noting benefits including employee safety,task loading,and project documentation along with concerns regarding cellular connectivity and procurement responsibilities.These findings indicate the importance of STAs investing in partnership with con-tractors to improve stakeholder buy-in before proceeding towards e-ticketing adoption.

Long-term performance of recycled asphalt mixtures containing high RAP and RAS

The application of reclaimed asphalt pavement(RAP)and reclaimed asphalt shingles(RAS)on asphalt pavement can reduce the asphalt paving cost,conserve energy and protect the environment.However,the use of high contents of RAP and RAS in asphalt pavement may lead to durability issues,especially the fatigue cracking and thermal cracking.It is necessary to conduct a series of analyses on asphalt mixtures containing high RAP and RAS,and seek methods to enhance their long-term performance.This paper provides a comprehensive over-view of the long-term performance of recycled asphalt mixtures containing high contents of RAP and RAS.The findings in this research show that rutting resistance of high recycled asphalt mixtures is not a concern,whereas their resistance to fatigue and thermal cracking is not conclusive.Recycling agents can be used to improve the thermal cracking resistance of high recycled asphalt mixtures.An optimum decision on recycling agents will improve the durability properties of high recycled asphalt mixtures.It is recommended that to use a balanced mixture design approach with testing of the blended asphalt binders will provide better understanding of long-term performance of recycled asphalt mixtures containing high RAP and RAS.

On the Use of Recycled Asphalt and Trinidad Lake Asphalt(TLA)for the Preparation of High Modulus Asphalt Concrete

Rutting of asphalt pavement occurs earlier and is more serious under the increasingly heavy traffic load conditions that can be found in subtropical monsoon climate regions.High modulus asphalt concrete(HMAC)with excellent anti-rutting and anti-fatigue properties is generally used to mitigate this issue.Given the relatively high cost of the additives used in this type of asphalt,in this study the feasibility of using recycled asphalt mixture(RAP)and Trinidad lake asphalt(TLA)for the preparation of HMAC is considered.The mineral composition of the RAP is first analyzed,then the TLA modified asphalt with different levels of RAP content is used to assess the effect of RAP on the performance of the mixture.Finally,the high-temperature rheological properties of extracted bitumen and the adhesion characteristic between mineral and bitumen are analyzed.The results show that after RAP combustion,the yellowish and greyish minerals display different alkalinity values,while the greyish mineral exhibits an improved ability to combine with bitumen.Thus,RAP can significantly enhance the high-temperature rutting resistance of TLA modified asphalt mixtures.The aged bitumen in RAP makes the mixed binder harder and improves its rheological properties at high temperatures.

Effects of Filler-Asphalt Ratio on the Properties of Lignin and Polyester Fiber Reinforced SMPU/SBS Modified Asphalt Mortar

To understand the effects offiller-asphalt ratio on different properties of lignin and polyesterfiber reinforced shape memory polyurethane(SMPU)/styrene butadiene styrene(SBS)composite modified asphalt mortar(PSAM),as well as to reveal the reinforcing and toughening mechanisms of lignin and polyesterfibers on PSAM,SMPU,SBS and mineral powder werefirst utilized to prepare PSAM.Then the conventional,rheological and anti-cracking properties of ligninfiber reinforced PSAM(LFAM)and polyesterfiber reinforced PSAM(PFAM)at dif-ferentfiller-asphalt ratios were characterized.Test results indicate that the shear strength,deformation resistance and viscosity are increased after adding 0.8wt%ligninfiber or polyesterfiber and increasing thefiller-asphalt ratio from 0.8 to 1.2.The optimalfiller-asphalt ratio of 1.0 is proposed after comprehensive performance assessments of PSAM.Polyesterfiber shows a better reinforcing effect than ligninfiber,but its improvement in the thermal stability of PSAM is not significant at high temperatures.Additionally,the complex modulus,storage modulus,loss modulus and rutting resistance factor of PSAM are improved after adding ligninfiber and polyesterfiber,as well as show an increasing trend as thefiller-asphalt ratio is raised,but the phase angle is gradually decreased.Further,the increase of elastic components in PSAM effectively enhances the anti-deformation ability of PSAM at high temperatures,and polyesterfiber more obviously improves the high-temperature deformation resistance of PSAM than ligninfiber.Finally,the anti-cracking performance of PFAM and LFAM at low temperatures is reduced by 74.2%and 46.7%,respectively,as thefiller-asphalt ratio is raised from 0.8 to 1.2.The low-temperature anti-cracking performance of LFAM is lower than that of PFAM at the samefiller-asphalt ratio,even lower than that of PSA.Compared with ligninfiber,the anti-cracking performance and deformation resistance of PSAM at low temperature is more greatly enhanced by polyester fiber.

Research Progress of Epoxy Asphalt Material for Roads

Asphalt is a semi-solid or solid mixture formed by hydrocarbons and non-metallic elements.It is widely applied in the fields of building waterproofing and road paving.Asphalt is a low noise,durable,and renewable pavement material.However,asphalt materials have some shortcomings such as liquefying at high temperatures and brittleness at low temperatures,which are less adaptable to different environments.Therefore,people have gradually shifted their focus to asphalt modification.This paper presents an in-depth analysis and research on the composition,structure,and performance of epoxy asphalt materials for roads,so that this material can be widely used.

Materials,preparation,performances and mechanism of polyurethane modified asphalt and its mixture:A systematic review

With the rapid development of asphalt pavement technology,it has attracted considerable attention to improving the durability of asphalt pavement.An effective action is to use modified asphalt with high performance and durability.Polyurethane(PU)has been used in asphalt pavement engineering to enhance the durability and service life of asphalt pavement because of its excellent high-temperature performance,toughness,wear resistance,aging resistance and oil resistance.However,PU modified asphalt technology is still in the exploratory stage.The preparation,modification mechanism and working performances of PU modified asphalt need to be further clarified.Therefore,this paper summarized the research progress of PU modified asphalt and its mixture.The composition of PU modified asphalt was introduced.The addition methods of PU materials and preparation process parameters of the PU modified asphalt were determined.The modification mechanism of PU on asphalt was discussed.The effects of polyurethane on asphalt were analyzed and the road performances of its mixture were evaluated.Finally,the development tendency towards PU modified asphalt and its mixture were forecasted.

Behavior Characteristics of Asphalt Components during the Process of Nano-cracks Temperature Self-healing

In order to investigate the behavior characteristics of asphalt components during the process of nano-cracks temperature self-healing(NTS),molecular simulation technology was used to simulate the temperature self-healing of asphalt.Based on the determination of asphalts(virgin asphalt and aged asphalt),the proportional changes of asphalt components were confirmed.The distribution characteristics of asphalt components were obtained by marking different components in the process of NTS.At the same time,the rationality of the micro simulation findings was confirmed by asphalt performance tests and infrared spectroscopy results.The results show that different asphalt components have different behavior characteristics in the process of NTS.The content of asphaltene and resin plays a key role in the process of NTS,while saturation and aromatics play an active role in the temperature self-healing before and after aging.The NTS is the result of the comprehensive action of different components,and the self-healing efficiency is proportional to the relative molecular mass.The effect of aging on the NTS is also realized by changing the proportion of asphalt components.

The Research for Surface Properties of Steel Slag Powder and High-Temperature Rheological Properties of Asphalt Mortar

In order to evaluate the feasibility of steel slag powder as filler,the coating properties of steel slag and limestone aggregate were compared by water boiling test,the micro morphology difierences between steel slag powder and mineral powder(limestone powder)were compared by scanning electron microscope(SEM),and the high-temperature rheological properties of asphalt mortar with difierent ratio of filler quality to asphalt quality(F/A)and difierent substitution rates of mineral powder(S/F)were studied by dynamic shear rheological test.The results show that the surface microstructure of steel slag powder is more abundant than that of mineral powder,and the adhesion of steel slag to asphalt is better than that of limestone.At the same temperature,the lower the ratio of S/F is,the greater the rutting factor and complex modulus will be.In addition,the complex modulus and rutting factor of the asphalt mortar increase with the increase of F/A,and the filler type and F/A have a negligible efiect on the phase angle.

Bamboo Fiber Modified Asphalt Mixture Proportion Design and Road Performances Based on Response Surface Method

In order to comprehensively utilize the remaining bamboo residue of bamboo products,this paper presents a research on recycling the bamboo fibers from bamboo residue for improving the performance of the asphalt mixtures.First of all,the basic performance parameters of sinocalamus affinis fiber,phyllostachys pubescens fiber,green bamboo fiber were tested and analyzed,and the optimal content and length were put forward.Then,the mix ratio design of the bamboo fiber modified asphalt mixture was further designed through the response surface method,and was verified the rationality of the mix ratio.Finally,the mixture specimens were made according to the experimental design mix ratio,and the high temperature,low temperature performance and moisture susceptibility of the bamboo fiber modified mixtures asphalt were tested.The results showed that the high temperature performance,low temperature performance and moisture susceptibility of bamboo fiber modified asphalt mixtures were improved compared with the performance of SBS modified asphalt mixture.When the length of bamboo fiber is 7.25 mm and the content of 0.22%,the road performance of the asphalt mixture was optimal.Consequentially,the decomposition of bamboo residue into bamboo fiber and its application in asphalt pavement can improve the reuse of bamboo waste,with remarkable environmental benefits and great promotion value.

Distribution Properties of Internal Air Voids in Ultrathin Asphalt Friction Course

The distribution characteristics of air voids in ultrathin asphalt friction course(UAFC) samples with different gradations and compaction methods were statistically analyzed using X-ray computed tomography(CT) and image analysis techniques. Based on the results, compared with the AC-5 sample, the OGFC-5mixture has a higher air void ratio, a larger air void size and a greater number of air voids, with the distribution of internal air voids being more uniform and their shapes being more rounded. The two-parameter Weibull function was applied to fit the gradation of air voids. The fitting results is good, and the function parameters are sensitive to changes in both mineral gradation and compaction method. Moreover, two homogeneity indices were proposed to evaluate the compaction uniformity of UAFC samples. Compared with the Marshall method,the SGC method is more conducive to improve the compaction uniformity of UAFC samples. The compaction method significantly influences the air void distribution characteristics and compaction uniformity of AC-5sample, but has a less significant impact on OGFC-5 sample. The experimental results in the study provides a solid foundation for further explorations on the internal structure and mixture design of UAFC.

Water Stability Improvement of Acid Fine Aggregate-Based Asphalt Concrete

In general,acid aggregates are not used in combination with asphalt concrete because of their poor compatibility with the asphalt binder,which typically results in a scarce water stability of the concrete.In the present study,the feasibility of a new approach based on the combination of acid granite fine aggregate with alkaline limestone coarse aggregate and Portland cement filler has been assessed.The mineral and chemical compositions of these three materials have first been analyzed and compared.Then,the effect of different amounts of Portland cement(0%,25%,50%,75%and 100%of the total filler by weight)on the mechanical performance and water stability of the asphalt concrete has been considered.Asphalt concrete has been designed by using the Marshall method,and the mechanical performance indexes of this material,including the Marshall stability and indirect tensile strength(ITS),have been measured together with the related water stability indexes(namely the Marshall stability(RMS)and tensile strength ratio(TSR)).The results indicate that the alkaline limestone coarse aggregate and Portland cement filler can balance the drawback caused by the acid granite fine aggregate.The asphalt concrete has good mechanical performances and water stability when the amount of common limestone powder filler replaced by cement is not less than 75%.

Influence of Rubber Powder Movement on Properties of Asphalt Rubber from the Mesoscopic View

The research on asphalt performance mainly focused on the macro performance and micro mechanism.Mesoscopic analysis was introduced to study the effect of rubber powder movement on asphalt rubber properties.After the preparation parameters and the preparation process of asphalt rubber were determined,the modification mechanism and rheological properties were analyzed which revealed the compatible stability mechanism.Then,the analysis model of asphalt rubber was established to focus on simulating the effect of rubber powder and the spatial movement on its mechanical properties.The experimental results show that rubber powder can make the asphalt rubber bear more uniform stress distribution and enhance the ability to resist deformation.Meanwhile,the rotational motion and final distribution of rubber powder have an obvious impact on the mechanical properties of asphalt rubber.In the selected feature points,the average stress of rubber powder at 0°space angle is only 34.1%of that at90°space angle.When the rubber powders are all in parallel in the ideal state,it enhances the mechanical properties the most.This study supplements the“mesoscopic”scale between macro and micro research.The relationship between micro mechanism and macro properties of asphalt rubber will be established from the mesoscopic perspective.It is also an effort to realize the effective correlation from micro,mesoscopic to macro in asphalt.

The Influence of Mesoscopic Characteristics of Mineral Powders Fillers on the Rutting Factor(G^(*)/sinδ)of Asphalt Mortar

This study aims to investigate the efiect of the mesoscopic characteristics of mineral powder fillers on the rutting resistance of asphalt mortar.Extraction and sieving tests were used to obtain the buton rock asphalt(BRA)ash with particle size smaller than 0.075 mm,which is consistent with that of the conventional mineral powder.The mesoscopic characteristics of BRA ash and conventional mineral powder were measured by SEM image analysis and the osmotic free pressure water method.Mesoscopic structure models of structural and free asphalts in mortar were obtained.The 70#matrix asphalt was used to prepare two kinds of asphalt mortar with BRA ash and conventional mineral powders fillers.The rutting factor of the two asphalt mortars was tested by dynamic shear test(DSR).Test results show that the ash extracted from BRA has a similar mesoscopic classification with the conventional mineral powder.Still,its fractal dimensions are larger,indicating the particles in BRA ash have more complex shapes and rougher surfaces,which is beneficial for forming structural asphalt and subsequently increasing the rutting factor(G*/sinδ),i e,improving the rutting resistance of the asphalt mortar.

Correlation analysis of longitudinal cracks and vertical deformation within asphalt pavement of cold regions

The asphalt pavement longitudinal crack is a common distress in cold regions,resulting from uneven deformation of the subgrade.Analysis of the correlation law between uneven deformation and crack distress is of positive significance for understanding the mechanism of crack initiation,and putting forward treatment measures.In view of the complexity of longitudinal crack inducement and road surface deformation,the grey relational method was used to analyze this relationship.Through long-term monitoring of the vertical deformation data of typical road sections,the vertical deformation law of the pavement surface and its deformation characteristics under the action of temperature field are analyzed.Parameters such as vertical relative deformation,vertical relative deformation rate and vertical differential deformation VDSr were constructed to describe vertical deformation characteristics.Typical distribution characteristics of longitudinal fractures and their length and distribution characteristics are also described.The grey correlation analysis theory was utilized to analyze the relationship between deformation characteristics of sections,cross sections and monitoring points and longitudinal crack characteristics(length and location).The analysis reveals a linear positive correlation or a high correlation between several indicators.This study can provide a deeper understanding of the occurrence and development mechanism of longitudinal cracks in asphalt pavement of cold areas,and give references for the research of road engineering structure,materials and distress prevention.

Influence of Hydrodynamic Pore Pressure Damage on the Performance of Hot-Mixed Renewable Asphalt Mixture

For evaluating the water stability of hot-mixed renewable asphalt mixture(HRM),the traditional methods are all tested under still water conditions.Except for damage in still water conditions,the hydrodynamic pore pressure generated by the tire driving on the surface water has a great impact.Thus,the RAP contents of the HRMs were designed at 0%,30%,45%and 60%with AC-25 gradation.Then,the self-designed evaluation methods of water stability and dynamic modulus were studied.Finally,the mechanism of the influence of hydrodynamic pore pressure damage on HRMs was studied.The results show that the water stability of HRM containing 30%RAP is equivalent to that of 45%RAP,and the water stability of HRM containing 60%RAP decreases significantly.The Contabro test after MIST treatment can be used as an evaluation method for hydrodynamic pore pressure damage on HRM.Low-speed,heavy-load traffic and larger RAP content have greater damage to the mixture after hydrodynamic pore pressure damage.The performance differences between the aged bitumen and pure bitumen,as well as the aged minerals and new minerals,are continuing to be enlarged in hydrodynamic pore pressure conditions,finally affecting the water stability and dynamic modulus of the HRMs.

Thermal Properties Reconstruction and Temperature Fields in Asphalt Pavements: Inverse Problem and Optimisation Algorithms

A two-layer implicit difference scheme is employed in the present study to determine the temperature distribution in an asphalt pavement.The calculation of each layer only needs four iterations to achieve convergence.Furthermore,in order to improve the calculation accuracy a swarm intelligence optimization algorithm is also exploited to inversely analyze the laws by which the thermal physical parameters of the asphalt pavement materials change with temperature.Using the basic cuckoo and the gray wolf algorithms,an adaptive hybrid optimization algorithm is obtained and used to determine the relationship between the thermal diffusivity of two types of asphalt pavement materials and the temperature.As shown by the results,the prediction accuracy achievable with this approach is higher than that of the linear model.