Resilient Modulus Characterization of Alaskan Granular Base Materials

INE/AUC 11.0

Thermo-piezo-rheological characterization of asphalt concrete

The linear viscoelastic (LVE) properties of asphalt concrete is investigated in this paper using a controlled-strain triaxial dynamic modulus test over wide frequency, temperature, and confining pressure ranges. The time–temperature-pressure superposition principle (TTPSP) is applied to validate the thermo-piezo-rheological simplicity of the tested materials using triaxial master curves. The LVE response is found highly stress-dependent at intermediate and high temperatures. The Prony series modeling of time-domain properties ascertains that confining pressure strongly correlates with long-term relaxation modulus, the absolute maximum slope of the relaxation modulus, and viscoelastic damage parameter. The stress triaxiality ratio concept is applied, and a new shift model is proposed that takes the triaxiality ratio as an internal state variable in the TTPSP. The model prediction agrees well with the experimental data. Moreover, a relationship between the long-term relaxation modulus and the triaxiality ratio is established. The triaxiality ratio coupled with TTPSP can accurately describe the stress-dependent response of asphalt concrete in the LVE domain.publishedVersionPaid open acces

Performance Evaluation of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement in Hot Mix Asphalt Modified with Organosilane

abstract: Use of Recycled Asphalt Pavement (RAP) in newly designed asphalt mixtures is becoming a common practice. Depending on the percentage of RAP, the stiffness of the hot mix asphalt (HMA) increases by incorporating RAP in mixes. In a climatic area such as the City of Phoenix, RAP properties are expected to be more oxidized and aged compared to other regions across the US. Therefore, there are concerns about the cracking behavior and long-term performance of asphalt mixes with high percentage of RAP. The use of Organosilane (OS) in this study was hypothesized to reduce the additional cracking potential and improve resistance to moisture damage of the asphalt mixtures when using RAP. OS has also the potential to improve the bond between the aggregate and asphalt binder. The use of OS also reduces the mixing and compaction temperatures required for asphalt mixtures, making it similar to a warm mix asphalt (WMA), Six asphalt mixes were prepared with three RAP contents, 0%, 15% and 25%, with and without Organosilane. The mixing temperature was reduced by 10°C and the compaction temperature was reduced by 30°C. Mix designs were performed, and the volumetric properties were compared. The mixture laboratory performance was evaluated for all mixtures by conducting Dynamic Modulus, Flow Number and Tensile Strength Ratio tests. The study findings showed that mixtures achieved better compaction at a reduced temperature of 30°C. Mixtures modified with Organosilane generally exhibited softer behavior at the extreme ends of lower and higher temperatures. The lower moduli are to reduce the potential for cracking. For the Flow Number test, the RAP mixtures with OS passed the minimum required at all traffic levels. Tensile Strength Ratio results increased with the increase in RAP percentage, and further increase was observed when OS was used. The OS reduced the sticking nature of the binder to the molds and equipment, which reduced the efforts in cleaning them. Finally, the future use of RAP by the City of Phoenix would positively contributes to their sustainability aspiration and initiatives. The use of Organosilane may even facilitates higher percentage of RAP usage; it definitely improves the moisture resistance of asphalt mixtures, especially when lower mixing and compaction temperatures are desired or used.Dissertation/ThesisMasters Thesis Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Engineering 201

Superpave Mix Design and Laboratory Testing of Reacted and Activated Rubber Modified Asphalt Mixtures

abstract: Crumb rubber use in asphalt mixtures using wet process technology has been in practice for years in the United States with good performance history; however, it has some drawbacks that include the need for special blending equipment, high rubber-binder temperatures, and longer waiting time at mixing plants. Pre-treated crumb rubber technologies are emerging as a new method to produce asphalt rubber mixtures in the field. A new crumb rubber modifier known as Reacted and Activated Rubber (RAR) is one such technology. RAR (industrially known as “RARX”) acts like an Enhanced Elastomeric Asphalt Extender to improve the engineering properties of the binder and mixtures. It is intended to be used in a dry mixing process with the purpose of simplifying mixing at the asphalt plant. The objective of this research study was first to perform a Superpave mix design for determination of optimum asphalt content with 35% RAR by weight of binder; and secondly, analyse the performance of RAR modified mixtures prepared using the dry process against Crumb Rubber Modified (CRM) mixtures prepared using the wet process by conducting various laboratory tests. Performance Grade (PG) 64-22 binder was used to fabricate RAR and CRM mixtures and Performance Grade (PG) 70-10 was used to fabricate Control mixtures for this study. Laboratory tests included: Dynamic Modulus Test, Flow Number Test, Tensile Strength Ratio, Axial Cyclic Fatigue Test and C* Fracture Test. Observations from test results indicated that RAR mixes prepared through the dry process had excellent fatigue life, moisture resistance and cracking resistance compared to the other mixtures.Dissertation/ThesisMasters Thesis Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Engineering 201

Development of specifications for the superpave simple performance tests

This study describes the development and establishment of a proposed Simple Performance Test (SPT) specification in order to contribute to the asphalt materials technology in the state of Michigan. The properties and characteristic of materials, performance testing of specimens, and field analyses are used in developing draft SPT specifications. These advanced and more effective specifications should significantly improve the qualities of designed and constructed hot mix asphalt (HMA) leading to improvement in pavement life in Michigan. The objectives of this study include the following: 1) using the SPT, conduct a laboratory study to measure the parameters including the dynamic modulus terms (E*/sinϕ and E*) and the flow number (Fn) for typical Michigan HMA mixtures, 2) correlate the results of the laboratory study to field performance as they relate to flexible pavement performance (rutting, fatigue, and low temperature cracking), and 3) make recommendations for the SPT criteria at specific traffic levels (e.g. E3, E10, E30), including recommendations for a draft test specification for use in Michigan. The specification criteria of dynamic modulus were developed based upon field rutting performance and contractor warranty criteria

Weak form equation–based finite-element modeling of viscoelastic asphalt mixtures

The objective of this study is to demonstrate using weak form partial differential equation (PDE) method for a finite-element (FE) modeling of a new constitutive relation without the need of user subroutine programming. The viscoelastic asphalt mixtures were modeled by the weak form PDE-based FE method as the examples in the paper. A solid-like generalized Maxwell model was used to represent the deforming mechanism of a viscoelastic material, the constitutive relations of which were derived and implemented in the weak form PDE module of Comsol Multiphysics, a commercial FE program. The weak form PDE modeling of viscoelasticity was verified by comparing Comsol and Abaqus simulations, which employed the same loading configurations and material property inputs in virtual laboratory test simulations. Both produced identical results in terms of axial and radial strain responses. The weak form PDE modeling of viscoelasticity was further validated by comparing the weak form PDE predictions with real laboratory test results of six types of asphalt mixtures with two air void contents and three aging periods. The viscoelastic material properties such as the coefficients of a Prony series model for the relaxation modulus were obtained by converting from the master curves of dynamic modulus and phase angle. Strain responses of compressive creep tests at three temperatures and cyclic load tests were predicted using the weak form PDE modeling and found to be comparable with the measurements of the real laboratory tests. It was demonstrated that the weak form PDE-based FE modeling can serve as an efficient method to implement new constitutive models and can free engineers from user subroutine programming

Study the Using of Reed Mats in Asphalt Pavement Layers

During the service life, the asphalt pavement layers subjected to various detrimental types of distresses such as permanent deformation, fatigue, stripping and shoving which lead to the complete failure of the pavement. In Iraq roads the permanent deformation (rutting) is the importance distresses which cause impact on the highway performance and reducing the service life of the pavement. The research aims to utilize locally available materials and environment friendly as reinforcement layer. The program of this research include preparing asphalt mixes represent surface layer by using locally available materials and using the reinforcement layer which made of reed. The permanent deformation test has been done with three temperatures (40˚C, 50˚C and 60˚C) and four locations of the reed mats. The test results of the wheel- Track for the rutting measurement showed that the rut depth decrease in reinforcement layers as compared with unreinforcement layers for all temperature testing. The reed netting embedded bottom and middle of wearing layer has the best amount of improvement (75%, 84% and 85%)