Comprehensive Field Evaluation of Asphalt Patching Methods and Development of Simple Decision Trees and a Best Practices Manual

The long-term performance of pothole patches largely depends on the selection of the patching method. A number of pothole patching methods are in practice in Minnesota and other nearby states. However, pavement maintenance crews often encounter problems in selecting the most appropriate patching method because proper guidelines are not available. The objective of this project was to investigate the effectiveness of different pavement patching methods and to develop simple decision trees and a best practices manual. The performance of 20 different pothole patches, which were patched with four different types of patching methods and located at five different construction sites, were monitored for approximately two years. Based on the observed performance of the pothole patches considered in this study, two forms of decision trees and a best practices manual have been developed for selecting the most appropriate patching method for a given pothole condition. The developed decision trees can be used to select the patching method based on the location of the pothole (e.g., along longitudinal joints, localized potholes, etc.), construction season, condition of the pothole, and pothole area and depth. The best practices manual provides guidelines on the selection of patching method, pothole preparation, placement of patching materials, and compaction

Disc shaped compact tension (DCT) specifications development for asphalt pavement

The disc-shaped compact tension (DCT) fracture energy test has been shown to discriminate between asphalt mixtures with respect to their thermal cracking potential. This research refines the DCT fracture energy testing procedure, identifies needed adjustments in asphalt mixture to increase fracture energy, determines the suitability of DCT-test-based parameters as indicators of reflective cracking, and proposes threshold values to lower the potential for premature reflective cracking in asphalt overlays. A number of recommendations have been developed to implement outcomes of this research as well as to fill knowledge gaps identified through this study

Impact of Low Asphalt Binder for Coarse HMA Mixes

Asphalt mixtures are commonly specified using volumetric controls in combination with aggregate gradation limits, like most transportation agencies, MnDOT also uses this approach. Since 2010 onward, several asphalt paving projects for MnDOT have been constructed using coarser asphalt mixtures that are manufactured with lower total asphalt binder contents. Due to the severe cold climate conditions in Minnesota, there are concerns of premature cracking and inferior durability in asphalt mixtures with lower asphalt binder contents. This research project evaluated 13 low asphalt binder content mixes from 10 actual field projects to determine whether there is potential for poor cracking performance and high permeability. Assessment of field performance indicated an average of 7.75 years of life until 100% transverse cracking level is reached. The pavement structure played a significant factor in controlling the cracking rates. Thin overlays showed almost ten times inferior transverse cracking performance as compared to asphalt wearing courses on full-depth reclamation. Asphalt mixture volumetric factors did not show a statistically significant effect on cracking rates; however, the asphalt binder grade did show a strong effect. Eight out of the 13 coarse asphalt mixtures evaluated in this study have higher permeability than the typical dense graded asphalt mixtures. Performance evaluations using lab measured properties predicted poor thermal cracking performances. No discernable trends were observed between measured or predicted cracking performance and mix volumetric measures. Use of performance tests based on specifications for design and acceptance purposes is reinforced through this study

Cracking in asphalt materials

This chapter provides a comprehensive review of both laboratory characterization and modelling of bulk material fracture in asphalt mixtures. For the purpose of organization, this chapter is divided into a section on laboratory tests and a section on models. The laboratory characterization section is further subdivided on the basis of predominant loading conditions (monotonic vs. cyclic). The section on constitutive models is subdivided into two sections, the first one containing fracture mechanics based models for crack initiation and propagation that do not include material degradation due to cyclic loading conditions. The second section discusses phenomenological models that have been developed for crack growth through the use of dissipated energy and damage accumulation concepts. These latter models have the capability to simulate degradation of material capacity upon exceeding a threshold number of loading cycles.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Black Space Rheological Assessment of Asphalt Material Behavior

Black Space diagrams representing rheological data of asphalt materials in the form of complex modulus (|G*| or |E*|) versus phase angle (δ) have been successfully used for interpretation of material behavior and performance. Previous studies have used Black Space for identification of testing geometry compliance errors when testing over multiple temperatures and loading times (frequencies), screening of the “thermo-rheological simplicity” of various binders and mixtures, and detailed evaluation of the performance balance in term of “stiffness” versus “relaxation” needs. This paper provides an overview of how Black Space can be further used to provide a greater understanding of the concepts of damage and healing and cracking susceptibility and fracture, and to also quantify the complex rheological response of alternative binders. In terms of the damage assessment, cyclic loading tests were analyzed using Black Space to identify additional physical phenomena such as nonlinearity, self-heating, and thixotropy. The cracking analysis has included thermal, fatigue, and durability cracking as well as the use of Black Space to access the performance of asphalt mixtures subjected to aging as well as rejuvenation and materials with recycled asphalt. Concepts such as the Glover-Rowe parameter that are based around Black Space and linked to other forms of rheological indices such as the low-temperature stiffness and relaxation rate parameters are introduced. The results in the paper show that Black Space provides a critical means of rheological characterization to investigate and evaluate the properties and performance of both binders and mixtures. This is particularly relevant at a time when there is a concerted move within the asphalt paving industry toward more sustainable solutions and increased demand for reuse and recycling of materials in asphalt mixtures

Realistic Traffic Condition Informed Life Cycle Assessment: Interstate 495 Maintenance and Rehabilitation Case Study

As construction costs continue to rise and adequate amounts of funding continues to be a challenge, the allocation of resources is of critical importance when it comes to the maintenance and rehabilitation (M&R) of highway infrastructure. A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology is presented here that integrates realistic traffic conditions in the operational phase to compare M&R scenarios over the analysis period of a 26-km stretch of Interstate-495. Pavement International Roughness Index (IRI) were determined using American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) PavementME System. Meanwhile, vehicle fuel consumption and emission factors were calculated using a combination of Google Maps®, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator, the second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP2) Naturalistic Driving Study, and MassDOT’s Transportation Data Management System. The evaluation of pavement performance with realistic traffic conditions, varying M&R strategies, and material characteristics was quantified in terms of Life Cycle Cost (LCC), Global Warming Potential (GWP), and Cumulative Energy Demand (CED) for both agencies and users. The inclusion of realistic traffic conditions into the use phase of the LCA resulted in a 6.4% increase in CED and GWP when compared to baseline conditions simulated for a week long operation duration. Results from this study show that optimization of M&R type, material selection, and timing may lead to a 2.72% decrease in operations cost and 47.6% decrease in construction and maintenance costs

8th RILEM International Conference on Mechanisms of Cracking and Debonding in Pavements

International audienceThis book presents the latest advances in research to analyze mechanical damage andits detection in multilayer systems. The contents are linked to the Rilem TC241 - MCDscientific activities and the proceedings of the 8th RILEM International Conference onMechanisms of Cracking and Debonding in Pavements (MCD2016). MCD2016 washosted by Ifsttar and took place in Nantes, France, on June 7-9, 2016. In their lifetime,pavements undergo degradation due to different mechanisms of which cracking isamong the most important ones. The damage and the fracture behavior of all its materiallayers as well as interfaces must be understood. In that field, the research activities aimsto develop a deeper fundamental understanding of the mechanisms responsible forcracking and debonding in asphalt concrete and composite (e.g. asphalt overlays placedon PCC or thin cement concrete overlay placed on asphalt layer) pavement systems

Mechanisms of cracking and debonding in asphalt and composite pavements: State-of-the-Art of the RILEM TC 241-MCD

International audiencePremature cracking in asphalt pavements and overlays continues to shorten pavement lifecycles and creates significant economic and environmental burden. In response, RILEM Technical Committee TC 241-MCD on Mechanisms of Cracking and Debonding in Asphalt and Composite Pavements has conducted a State-of-the-Art Review (STAR), as detailed in this comprehensive book. Cutting-edge research performed by RILEM members and their international partners is presented, along with summaries of open research questions and recommendations for future research.This book is organized according to the theme areas of TC 241-MCD - i.e., fracture in the asphalt bulk material, interface debonding behaviour, and advanced measurement systems. This STAR is expected to serve as a long term reference for researchers and practitioners, as it contributes to a deeper fundamental understanding of the mechanisms behind cracking and debonding in asphalt concrete and composite pavement systems