Initiation of distress of asphalt concrete after practicing long term ageing

Abstract

Asphalt pavement distress initiate as early as the roadway is opened to traffic. Long term ageing can represent the environmental influence on the properties and serviciability of the flexible pavement. In the present work, asphalt concrete mixtures were prepared in the laboratory with optimum binder content. Extra mixtures were prepared with (± 0.5 %) binder above and below the optimum. The asphalt concrete mixtures were subjected to laboratory roller compaction  in a slab mold. Beam specimens were obtained from the slab samples and subjected to testing with dynamic flexural stresses at three levels of constant strain. Part of the asphalt concrete beam specimens were subjected to the long term ageing process before practicing the dynamic stresses. The variation of the percentage of initial flexural stiffness was obtained and compared. It was observed that after long term ageing, the initial stage of failure occurred after (2000, 200, and 190) seconds when the constant strain level was (250, 400, and 750) Microstrain respectively. Quick start of failure is detected for long term aged mixtures when compared with the control mixtures regardless of the applied constant strain level. Aged mixture prepared with the optimum requirement of binder was able to retain its flexural stiffness for 100 seconds before reaching the initial stage of failure. However, aged mixtures prepared using higher or lower than optimum binder exhibit sharp decline in the percentage of initial flexural stiffness and exhibit longer elapsed time of (600, and 150) seconds respectively to reach the initial stage of failure.

Cite as:

Saad Issa Sarsam. (2024). Initiation of Distress of Asphalt Concrete after Practicing Long Term Ageing. Research and Reviews: Journal of Environmental Sciences, 6(3), 17–24. 

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11409225