Investigation of material composition,design,and performance of open-graded asphalt mixtures for semi-flexible pavement:A comprehensive experimental study

The primary goal of this study is the design and construction of semi-flexible pavement(SFP)mixture in accordance with the engineering and mechanical criteria.This study involves the use of a range of gradation curves,air void contents,cellulose and synthesized fibers,and neat and modified asphalt binders to prepare the open-graded asphalt(OGA)mixtures.To analyze the characteristics of these mixtures,a variety of test,namely binder drainage,semi-circular bending(SCB),Cantabro,wheel tracking,indirect tensile strength(ITS),and permeability tests were conducted.Additionally,to analyze the prepared grouting material,flexural strength,compressive strength,and fluidity tests were conducted.In the final stage,SFP was compared to HMA in terms of engineering characteristics and performance.According to the results,SFP was more resistant to skid,rutting,fire,and moisture damage,while HMA had a better performance in fracture tests,including SCB test.According to the results of the mechanical performance tests conducted on OGA mixtures,the highest and lowest values for air void content to achieve the highest mechanical performance level were 30%-35%and 25%,respectively.Also,based on the laboratory results,it was determined that the required void ratio for constructing OGA mixtures was 24%-26%based on the bitumen type and fibers amount in the mixture.Finally,SFP mixture can be regarded as a viable alternative to common pavements thanks to its high resistance to rutting and moisture damage,long freezing-thawing fatigue life,and adequate fire and skid resistance.

Predictive modelling of volumetric and Marshall properties of asphalt mixtures modified with waste tire-derived char:A statistical neural network approach

The goals of this study are to assess the viability of waste tire-derived char(WTDC)as a sustainable,low-cost fine aggregate surrogate material for asphalt mixtures and to develop the statistically coupled neural network(SCNN)model for predicting volumetric and Marshall properties of asphalt mixtures modified with WTDC.The study is based on experimental data acquired from laboratory volumetric and Marshall properties testing on WTDCmodified asphalt mixtures(WTDC-MAM).The input variables comprised waste tire char content and asphalt binder content.The output variables comprised mixture unit weight,total voids,voids filled with asphalt,Marshall stability,and flow.Statistical coupled neural networks were utilized to predict the volumetric and Marshall properties of asphalt mixtures.For predictive modeling,the SCNN model is employed,incorporating a three-layer neural network and preprocessing techniques to enhance accuracy and reliability.The optimal network architecture,using the collected dataset,was a 2:6:5 structure,and the neural network was trained with 60%of the data,whereas the other 20%was used for cross-validation and testing respectively.The network employed a hyperbolic tangent(tanh)activation function and a feed-forward backpropagation.According to the results,the network model could accurately predict the volumetric and Marshall properties.The predicted accuracy of SCNN was found to be as high value>98%and low prediction errors for both volumetric and Marshall properties.This study demonstrates WTDC's potential as a low-cost,sustainable aggregate replacement.The SCNN-based predictive model proves its efficiency and versatility and promotes sustainable practices.

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.

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.

Analytical Study on the Effect of Electric Arc Furnace Dust(EAFD)on the Rutting of Asphalt Concrete Mixtures

As a byproduct of the steelmaking process,significant amounts of hazardous electric arc furnace dust(EAFD)are produced.Utilizing the solidification/stabilization technology with asphalt mix is one way to safeguard the environment from its negative effects.Rutting was used as an indicator to assess the asphalt mixture with EAFD since it is an important factor in pavement design.This study’s major goal is to ascertain how EAFD affects the rutting of asphalt-concrete mixtures.To evaluate the ideal asphalt content,the Marshall test method was applied to asphalt-concrete mixtures.EAFD was added to the asphalt cement in four different volume percentages as a binder addition.Then,using the Universal Testing Machine,participants were exposed to a replica of the rutting test(UTM).Experiments were conducted at 25℃,40℃ and 55℃,and at frequencies of 1 Hz,4 Hz and 8 Hz.Rutting was measured for each specimen.Test results showed that rut depth has a negative correlation with EAFD%and a positive correlation with temperature.The use of EAFD has dual advantages,protecting the environment from the adverse impact of EAFD and reducing the cost of asphalt mix without jeopardizing pavement performance.

Laboratory evaluation of epoxy resin modified asphalt mixtures

The pavement performance of epoxy resin modified asphalt mixtures was investigated by the Marshall test, the indirect tensile test, the rutting test, the three-pointed bending test and the composite beam fatigue test. In comparison with the performance of epoxy resin modified asphalt mixtures, the performance of stone matrix asphalt mixtures （SMA10） was also investigated. The rutting test and composite beam fatigue test results show that the epoxy resin modified asphalt mixtures can improve permanent deformation and fatigue characteristics. They also show lower temperature susceptibility and greater resistance to moisture damage compared to the SMA10. Findings from the research indicate that the epoxy resin modified asphalt mixture provides an optional material for the pavement of long-span steel bridges in China due to profound performance and economic advantages.

Relationship between repeated triaxial test and Hamburg wheel tracking test on asphalt mixtures

Both the repeated triaxial test （RTT） and the Hamburg wheel tracking test （HWTT） are adopted to evaluate the high temperature performance of the stone mastic asphalt （SMA） and the mastic asphalt （MA）. The correlation of the permanent deformations of the MA and the correlation of the deformation developments of the SMA between the two tests are analyzed, respectively. Results show that both the two tests can effectively identify the high temperature performance of mixtures, and the correlation between the final results of the two tests as well as that between the deformation developments of the two tests are excellent with R20.9. In order to further prove the correlation, viscoelastic parameters estimated from the RTT results is used to simulate the rutting development in the HWTT slabs by the finite element method （FEM）. Results indicate that the correlation between the two tests is significant with errors less than 10%. It is suitable to predict the rutting development with the viscoelastic parameters obtained from the RTT.

Evaluation of fracture properties of epoxy asphalt mixtures by SCB test

The fracture properties of epoxy asphalt mixtures （EAM） are evaluated based on J-integral and ultimate strength. Totally 60 semi-circular bending （SCB）specimens cored from superpave gyratory compactor （SGC）with three groups of notch depths are tested at the temperature of - 10 and 20 ℃. The experimental results reveal good repeatability in EAM characterization. The tensile strength ratio of SCB to the indirect tensile test （IDT） is at a range of 1.4 to 1.7, and the ultimate strength of EAM is exponentially dependent on the notch depths. At the test temperatures, the critical J-integral value of EAM is much higher than that of hot mix asphalt（ HMA） with thermoplastic asphalt binder. The response mode of EAM changes from ductile mode to brittle mode and the fracture energy increases 30% when temperature decreases from 20 to - 10℃, while its critical J-integral value decreases only 15%. It is concluded that EAM has better fracture resistance than thermo-plastic HMA; more fracture energy is needed to initiate cracks in EAM at low temperature, and the cracks propagate more rapidly than at room temperature.

Evaluation of modification effect of epoxy resin based on performance of asphalt mixtures

Based on the analysis of the main failures discovered in pavement on steel deck plate and the demanding service condition of the pavement on steel deck, high-temperature rutting test, low-temperature bending test and controlled stress flexural fatigue test are used to study the performance of asphalt mixtures modified by epoxy resin including high-temperature stability, low-temperature cracking-resistance, and fatigue cracking-resistance, which are served to evaluate the modification effect of epoxy resin of different contents. With the addition of epoxy resin, all the three performances are improved greatly. However, when the amount of epoxy resin added is over a certain value, the modification effect will be stable with no extra benefit detected. Finally, in terms of the properties of the three respects, 20%, 30%, 30% are given separately as the proposal adding contents.

Effects of polyphosphoric acid modified asphalt on the low-temperature cracking of asphalt mixtures

In order to determine whether polyphosphoric acid （PPA） can partially or completely substitute styrene-butadiene- styrene （SBS） modifier while it does not adversely affect the resistance to thermal cracking of the asphalt mixture, the low- temperature fracture properties of the PPA modified mixtures are evaluated and compared to the SBS modified mixtures. First, laboratory compacted test samples were tested by the indirect tensile test （IDT） and the newly developed fracture testing protocol, named as disk-shaped compact tension （DCT）. Then, the effects of the test temperature and air-void ratio on the low-temperature fracture properties of asphalt mixtures were analyzed. The results show that the fracture resistance of the PPA modified mixtures is worse than that of the SBS modified mixtures. However, for those modified mixtures that use the PPA substituting part of the SBS modifier, a relatively low-temperature fracture resistance can be obtained compared with the mixture only using the SBS modifier.

Mix design method of asphalt rubber open-graded friction course and its application in overlay

The mix design method of asphalt rubber open-graded friction course （AR-OGFC） by the Marshall test and key technologies of AR-OGFC overlay are studied. Based on the draindown test, the stripping test and the Marshall test by different beating times, the asphalt content estimating method and Marshall beat criterion are studied. It is found that the asphalt content of AR-OGFC can be estimated by the formula of Arizona, and the proper Marshall test criterion for AR-OGFC is 50 beats on both sides. By analyzing the influence of gradation on OGFC performance, the gradation of AR-OGFC is recommended, and the amount of aggregate passing 4. 75 mm should be minimized for AR-OGFC. Through investigation of AR-OGFC overlay projects, key technologies such as the treatment of underlying pavement and the selection of tack coat are advanced, and modified emulsified asphalt should be used in AR-OGFC overlay tack coat.

Evaluation of fatigue property of asphalt mixtures based on digital image correlation method

In order to evaluate the accumulative of tensile strain in the process of fatigue failure, the digital image correlation（DIC） method was utilized to characterize the tensile strain development of asphalt mixtures in the indirect tensile（IDT）fatigue test. Three typical hot mix asphalt（HMA） mixtures with varying nominal maximum aggregate sizes were tested at four stress levels. During the tests, a digital camera was mounted to capture the displacement/strain fields on the surface of the specimen by recording the real-time change of speckle position. The results indicate that the vertical deformation curve can barely evaluate the fatigue performance accurately due to the non-negligible local deflection near the loading point. However, based on the analysis of strain fields,the optimal fatigue cracking zone is determined as a 40mm×40mm rectangle in the middle of the specimens. Also, a reasonable fatigue model based on the tensile strain curves calculated by DIC is proposed to predict the fatigue lives of asphalt mixtures.

Normalized fatigue properties of asphalt mixture at various temperatures

This study normalized the mixture's fatigue behavior at various temperatures,and the strength and fatigue tests of the mixture were conducted.The stress state of the asphalt mixture includes direct tensile,uniaxial compression,and indirect tensile.The Desai yield surface and fatigue path were proposed.And a normalized fatigue characteristics model of the mixture was established.The following conclusions were obtained.With the increases in the loading rate,the strength of the asphalt mixture increased.As the temperature increases,the strength of the mixture is reduced.At various temperatures and rates,the strength forms a closed curved surface.The Desai strength yield surface was established,which forms a closed curved surface.When the loading rate and temperature are below a certain critical line,the asphalt mixture will not undergo strength damage.At a fixed stress state,the fatigue damage path of the mixture was determined.The stress ratio was determined considering the influence of the loading rate.In this way,a normalized model can be described to express the asphalt mixture fatigue properties at various temperatures and stress levels.For the asphalt mixture in an indirect tensile state,the normalized fatigue equation parameter is 4.09.This model is more suitable for reflecting the viscous-elastic behavior of the mixtures than the fatigue equation determined by the notional stress ratio.

Effects of Fibers on the Dynamic Properties of Asphalt Mixtures

The dynamic characteristics of fiber-modified asphalt mixture were investigated. Cellulose fiber, polyester fiber and mineral fiber were used as additives for asphalt mixture, and the dosage was 0.3%, 0.3%, 0.4%, respectively. Dynamic modulus test using SuperPave simple performance tester （SPT） was conducted to study the dynamic modulus （E＇） and phase angle （δ） for the control asphalt mixture and fiber-modified ones at various temperatures and frequencies. Experimental results show that all fiber-modified asphalt mixtures have higher dynamic modulus compared with control mixture. The dynamic modulus master curves of each type of asphalt mixtures are determined based on nonlinear least square regression in accordance with the time- temperature superposition theory at a control temperature （21.1℃）. The fatigue parameter E^＊×sinδ and rutting parameter E^＊/sinδ of asphalt mixture are adopted to study the fatigue and rutting-resistance properties, and experimental results indicate that such properties can be improved by fiber additives.

Design Method and Performance for Large Stone Porous Asphalt Mixtures

Design method for large stone porous asphalt mixtures （LSPM） was analyzed to avoid the early distresses of semi-rigid asphalt pavements. Based on stone-to-stone skeleton structure concept, processes of LSPM gradation design was given. The gradation composite design for LSPM shows that the LSPM nominal maximum size （ N MS） should be larger than 26.5 mm, and the NMS sieve passing percentage should be greater than 50%. Through experiments and calculations on the volume properties of the aggregate, the range of aggregate gradation curve of LSPM was given. In terms of asphalt binder＇s normalized test results, MAC-70 and SBS modified asphalt were selected as the asphalt binders. The applicability of large scale Marshall Method and gyratory compaction method to shape specimens was investigated. Based on the asphalt mixture performance evaluation, the optimum asphalt content range （3.1%-3.6%）, the bitumen film＇s thickness range （13-16 μm） and the air void range （13%-18 %） were recommended. Finally, LSPM was tested by the laboratory performance tests including rutting resistance test, fatigue test and water stability test. The theoretic and practical analysis shows that LSPM has a good performance on water permeability, rutting resistance and reflection crack resistance.

Performance evaluation of open-graded epoxy asphalt concrete with two nominal maximum aggregate sizes

Open-graded friction course(OGFC) is applied to pavement surfaces to increase driving safety under wet conditions, and recently, to reduce tire/pavement noise. The durability of OGFC, however, has been a concern since conventional OGFC mixes last typically less than ten years before major maintenance or rehabilitation is needed. This work investigates a new open-graded asphalt mixture that uses epoxy asphalt as binder to improve mix durability. One type of epoxy asphalt that has been successfully applied to dense-graded asphalt concrete for bridge deck paving was selected. A procedure of compacting the mix into slab specimens was developed and a series of laboratory tests were conducted to evaluate the performance of the new mix, including Cantabro loss, permeability, friction, shear strength, and wheel rutting tests. Results show superior overall performance of the open-graded epoxy asphalt mix compared to conventional open-graded asphalt mix. There are also preliminary indications that the OGFC mix with 4.75-mm NMAS gradation can improve the resistance performance to raveling, while the OGFC mix with 9.5-mm NMAS gradation can improve the performance of surface friction at a high slip speed.

Effects of Temperature on the Dynamic Properties of Asphalt Mixtures

By using the falling weight deflectometer（FWD）,the dynamic loading tests on different thickness of asphalt mixture pavement in different temperature were performed.The experimental results show that the effects of temperature on dynamic properties of asphalt mixture are significant,and the thickness of asphalt mixture is also another important influence factor.The comparisons indicate that effect of temperature on the behaviors of dynamic loading properties and static loading properties of asphalt mixture were quite different.

Effect of Loading Condition and Temperature on Dynamic Properties of Asphalt Mixtures

In order to study the effects of loading condition and temperature on the dynamic properties of asphalt mixtures, the dynamic loading tests on different loading condition （various speeds and loads under a certain roughness） and temperature conditions were performed. The experimental result show that the dynamic properties of asphalt mixtures are influenced by vehicle load and speed, besides, the effects of temperature on dynamic properties of asphalt mixture are significant.

A review on evaluation of crack resistance of asphalt mixture by semi-circular bending test

Although there are many kinds of fracture tests to choose from in evaluating the crack resistance of asphalt mixture,the semi-circular bending(SCB)test has attracted a lot of attention in the academic road engineering community because of its simplicity,stability,and flexibility in testing and evaluation.The SCB test has become a common method to study the cracking resistance of asphalt mixture in recent years.This paper mainly summarizes the overview of the SCB test,summarizes some research results and common characterization parameters of the SCB test method in monotone test and fatigue test in recent years,and predicts and suggests the research direction of the SCB test in the future.It is found that the research on the monotonic SCB test is more comprehensive,and the research on the SCB fatigue test needs to be further improved in the aspects of loading mode,characterization parameter selection,and so on.Researchers can flexibly adjust the geometric dimensions and the test parameters of semi-cylindrical specimens,and conduct comprehensive analysis combined with the results of numerical simulation.The crack resistance of asphalt mixture can be comprehensively evaluated by fracture energy,fracture toughness,stiffness,flexibility index and other fracture indicators,combined with the crack propagation of the specimen.The analysis of numerical simulation can confirm the test results.In order to standardize the setting of fatigue parameters for future application,it is necessary to standardize the setting of bending performance.

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.