Effects of water on permanent deformation potential of asphalt concrete mixtures

• Published in: Materials and structures 2004-10, Vol.37 (272), p.532-538
• Main Authors: WONG, W. G, HAN, H. F, HE, G. P, QIU, X, WANG, K. C. P, LU, W
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Bitumen. Tars. Bituminous binders and bituminous concretes; Buildings. Public works; Exact sciences and technology; Materials
• ISSN: 1359-5997; 1871-6873
• DOI: 10.1617/13986

This paper presents the results of a primary study on the effects of water on permanent deformation potential of asphalt concrete mixtures by using Asphalt Pavement Analyzer (APA). The same gradation was applied for all mixes. The samples were preconditioned using four different procedures: soaked, saturated, saturated with freeze-thaw conditioning cycle, and preheated. Among the saturated samples and the saturated with freeze-thaw cycle samples, the samples were conditioned to 25%, 50% and 75% degrees of saturation respectively. The freeze-thaw cycles were designed as 1, 4 and 7 cycles. The rut test was performed with APA under wet and dry conditions. All samples saturated with freeze-thaw cycle were tested in wet rut. The results indicate that water influences the rut depths. The depths of wet rut are greater than those of dry rut in most of preconditioning states. Saturation with freeze-thaw cycle, which is normally considered a harsher preconditioning, does not result in larger wet rut depths in this study. At the same freeze-thaw cycle, the wet rut depths of samples decrease with increasing the saturation. At the same saturation, the wet rut depths of samples saturated only are usually greater than those saturated with freeze-thaw cycle.