A Hybrid Model to Predict the Gyratory Compaction of Hot Mixed Asphalt

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teng Man

The compaction of asphalt mixture is crucial to the mechanical properties and the maintenance of the pavement. However, the mix design, which based on the compaction properties, remains largely on empirical data. We found difficulties to relate the aggregate size distribution and the asphalt binder properties to the compaction behavior in both the field and laboratory compaction of asphalt mixtures. In this paper, we would like to propose a simple hybrid model to predict the compaction of asphalt mixtures. In this model, we divided the compaction process into two mechanisms: (i) visco-plastic deformation of an ordered thickly-coated granular assembly, and (ii) the transition from an ordered system to a disordered system due to particle rearrangement. This model could take into account both the viscous properties of the asphalt binder and grain size distributions of the aggregates. Additionally, we suggest to use the discrete element method to understand the particle rearrangement during the compaction process. This model is calibrated based on the SuperPave gyratory compaction tests in the pavement lab. In the end, we compared the model results to experimental data to show that this model prediction had a good agreement with the experiments, thus, had great potentials to be implemented to improve the design of asphalt mixtures.

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hasanain Radhi Radeef ◽  
Norhidayah Abdul Hassan ◽  
Ahmad Razin Zainal Abidin ◽  
Mohd Zul Hanif Mahmud ◽  
Nur Izzi Md. Yusoffa ◽  
...  

In recent years, the proliferation of plastic waste has become a global problem. A potential solution to this problem is the dry process, which incorporates plastic waste into asphalt mixtures. However, the dry process often has inconsistent performance due to poor interaction with binder and improper distribution of plastic waste particles in the mixture skeleton. This inconsistency may be caused by inaccurate mixing method, shredding size, mixing temperature and ingredient priorities. Thus, this study aims to improve the consistency of the dry process by comparing the control asphalt mixture and two plastic waste-modified asphalt mixtures prepared using the dry process. This study used crushed granite aggregate with the nominal maximum aggregate size of 14 mm whereas the shredded plastic bag is in the range of 5–10 mm. Quantitative sieving analysis and performance tests were carried out to examine the effects of plastic waste added into the asphalt mixture. The volumetric and performance properties combined with image analysis of the modified mixtures were obtained and compared with the control mixture. In addition, the moisture damage, resilient modulus, creep deformation and rutting were evaluated. This study also highlighted in detail the distribution of plastic particles in the final skeleton of the asphalt mixture. Based on the analysis, an enhanced dry process of mixing procedure was proposed and evaluated. Results showed that the addition of plastic particles using the conventional dry process leads to the deviation in the aggregate structure as high plastic content is added. Furthermore, the enhanced dry process developed in this study presents substantial enhancement in the asphalt performance, particularly with plastic waste that accounts for 20% of the weight of the asphalt binder.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 637-644
Author(s):  
Saman Salari ◽  
Samuel Cooper ◽  
Louay N. Mohammad ◽  
Peyman Barghabany

AbstractThe Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) and other state agencies are continuously looking for techniques to reduce roadway maintenance and construction costs. A common consideration is to introduce asphalt mixtures with a smaller nominal maximum aggregate size (NMAS) for utilization in roadways. In a previous study, DOTD concluded that mixtures with a 4.75 mm NMAS provided acceptable performance as a surface layer. Excessive stockpiles of unused smaller aggregates can result in an economically competitive source to be consi dered for asphalt mixtures. The DOTD developed mixtures with four aggregate types and two binder types. A comprehensive evaluation of performance was conducted through volumetric and mechanistic testing. Performance testing consisted of the Loaded Wheel Tracking (LWT) test to determine rutting resistance, Semi-Circular Bend (SCB) test to evaluate intermediate temperature cracking resistance, and dynamic modulus (E*) to ascertain the stiffness at intermediate temperatures. As expected, asphalt binder grade, aggregate type and mixture composition affected the performance of mixtures evaluated. Gravel mixtures were susceptible to cracking, while limestone mixtures were susceptible to rutting. An economic analysis was conducted to determine the viability of 4.75 mm mixtures. The cost per ton of 4.75 mm mixtures in Louisiana was higher than conventional 12.5 mm mixtures. However, when considering the lift thickness of potential overlays, the 4.75 mm aggregate mixtures became more viable. Further, a life-cycle analysis of a designed pavement using AASHTO Pavement-ME was performed to compare the lifetime durability of the 4.75 mm NMAS mixtures to a conventional 12.5 mm mixture.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1023 ◽  
pp. 121-126
Author(s):  
Van Bach Le ◽  
Van Phuc Le

Although small amount of binder in asphalt concrete mixture may commonly range from 3.5 to 5.5% of total mixture as per many international specifications, it has a significant impact on the total cost of pavement construction. Therefore, this paper investigated the effects of five carbon nanotubes contents of 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.15%, 0.2%, 0.25% by asphalt weight as an additive material for binder on performance characteristics of asphalt mixtures. Performance properties of CNTs modified asphalt mixtures were investigated through the Marshall stability (MS) test, indirect tensile (IDT) test, static modulus (SM) test, wheel tracking (WT) test. The results indicated that asphalt mixtures with CNT modified binder can improve both the rutting performance, IDT strength and marshall stability of tested asphalt mixtures significantly at higher percentages of carbon nanotubes. However, the issue that should be considered is the construction cost of asphalt pavement. Based on the asphalt pavement structural analysis and construction cost, it can be concluded that an optimum CNT content of 0.1% by asphalt weight may be used as additive for asphalt binder in asphalt mixtures.


Asphalt pavement is typically susceptible to moisture damage. However, it could be improved with the incorporation of additives or modifiers through binder modifications. The objective of the study is to assess the effect of adhesion promoters, namely PBL and M5000, onto the Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA). The performance of asphalt mixture has been assessed in terms of the service characteristics, the bonding properties, and mechanical performances. The service characteristics were assessed through the Workability Index (WI) and Compaction Energy Index (CEI) to evaluate the ease of asphalt mixture during the mixing and compaction stage. The bonding properties of the modified asphalt mixtures were determined using the boiling water test and static water immersion test to signify the degree of coating after undergoing specific conditioning period and temperature. The mechanical performances of the modified asphalt mixture were evaluated via Marshall stability, semi-circular bending, and modified Lottman tests. All specimens were prepared by incorporating adhesion promoters at the dosage rates of 0.5% and 1.0% by weight of asphalt binder. From the investigation, the bonding properties significantly improved for the modified asphalt mixture compared to the control mixture. The WI of the modified asphalt mixture increased while the CEI decreased in comparison to the control specimen. This implies the workability of modified asphalt mixture is better and requires less energy to be compacted. Modified asphalt mixture generally had better mechanical performance. Therefore, it can be deduced that the asphalt mixture with adhesion promoters have better overall performance than the control mixture.


Author(s):  
Tongyan Pan ◽  
Erol Tutumluer ◽  
Samuel H. Carpenter

The resilient modulus measured in the indirect tensile mode according to ASTM D 4123 reflects effectively the elastic properties of asphalt mixtures under repeated load. The coarse aggregate morphology quantified by angularity and surface texture properties affects resilient modulus of asphalt mixes; however, the relationship is not yet well understood because of the lack of quantitative measurement of coarse aggregate morphology. This paper presents findings of a laboratory study aimed at investigating the effects of the material properties of the major component on the resilient modulus of asphalt mixes, with the coarse aggregate morphology considered as the principal factor. With modulus tests performed at a temperature of 25°C, using coarse aggregates with more irregular morphologies substantially improved the resilient modulus of asphalt mixtures. An imaging-based angularity index was found to be more closely related to the resilient modulus than an imaging-based surface texture index, as indicated by a higher value of the correlation coefficient. The stiffness of the asphalt binder also had a strong influence on modulus. When the resilient modulus data were grouped on the basis of binder stiffnesses, the agreement between the coarse aggregate morphology and the resilient modulus was significantly improved in each group. Although the changes in aggregate gradation did not significantly affect the relationship between the coarse aggregate morphology and the resilient modulus, decreasing the nominal maximum aggregate size from 19 mm to 9.5 mm indicated an increasing positive influence of aggregate morphology on the resilient modulus of asphalt mixes.


Author(s):  
Moses Akentuna ◽  
Louay N. Mohammad ◽  
Sanchit Sachdeva ◽  
Samuel B. Cooper ◽  
Samuel B. Cooper

Moisture damage of asphalt mixtures is a major distress affecting the durability of asphalt pavements. The loaded wheel tracking (LWT) test is gaining popularity in determining moisture damage because of its ability to relate laboratory performance to field performance. However, the accuracy of LWT’s “pass/fail” criteria for screening mixtures is limited. The objective of this study was to evaluate the capability of the LWT test to identify moisture susceptibility of asphalt mixtures with different moisture conditioning protocols. Seven 12.5 mm asphalt mixtures with two asphalt binder types (unmodified PG 67-22 and modified PG 70-22), and three aggregate types (limestone, crushed gravel, and a semi-crushed gravel) were utilized. Asphalt binder and mixture samples were subjected to five conditioning levels, namely, a control; single freeze–thaw-; triple freeze–thaw-; MiST 3500 cycles; and MiST 7000 cycles. Frequency sweep at multiple temperatures and frequencies, and multiple stress creep recovery tests were performed to evaluate asphalt binders. LWT test was used to evaluate the asphalt mixture samples. Freeze–thaw and MiST conditioning resulted in an increase in stiffness in the asphalt binders as compared with the control. Further, freeze–thaw and MiST conditioning resulted in an increase in rut depth compared with the control asphalt mixture. The conditioning protocols evaluated were effective in exposing moisture-sensitive mixtures, which initially showed compliance with Louisiana asphalt mixture design specifications.


Author(s):  
Gerald A. Huber ◽  
Xishun Zhang ◽  
Robin Fontaine

The Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP) spent $50 million researching asphalt binders and asphalt mixtures and provided three main products: an asphalt binder specification, an asphalt mixture specification, and Superpave, an asphalt mixture design system that encompasses both the binder and mixture specification. SHRP researchers have provided tools that promise more robust asphalt mixtures with reduced risk of premature failure. Implementation of the specifications and mix design system will require overcoming several obstacles. Superpave must be demonstrated to be practical and easy to use. The impact of Superpave aggregate requirements on aggregate availability must be determined. The Superpave gyratory compaction procedure has been uniquely defined and then calibrated to traffic volume. The reasonableness of this approach must be tested in widespread application. Perhaps the largest implementation hurdle exists in the performance models. Expensive test equipment is necessary to do the performance-based tests. The performance predictions must be established as reasonable to justify the cost. A highway reconstruction project containing three Superpave Level 1 mix designs is documented including quality control done with the Superpave gyratory compactor. Superpave Level 2 performance-based tests were carried out to predict permanent deformation of the design and the mixture as constructed. The performance-based engineering properties obtained from the tests are evaluated, and the reasonableness of the performance prediction models is discussed.


Author(s):  
Jamilla Emi Sudo Lutif Teixeira ◽  
Aecio Guilherme Schumacher ◽  
Patrício Moreira Pires ◽  
Verônica Teixeira Franco Castelo Branco ◽  
Henrique Barbosa Martins

The influence of steel slag expansion level on the early stage performance of hot mix asphalt (HMA) is evaluated. Initially, samples of Linz-Donawitz type steel slag with different levels of expansion (6.71%, 3.16%, 1.33%) were submitted to physical, mechanical, and morphological characterization to assess the effects of expansion on individual material properties. Steel slag was then used as aggregate in HMA to verify the effects of its expansion characteristics on the volumetric and mechanical performance of the asphalt mixture. Four different asphalt mixtures were designed based on Marshall mix design, using asphalt cement (pen. grade 50/70), natural aggregate (granite), and steel slag (in three different levels of expansion). The mechanical characteristics of the asphalt mixture were evaluated based on results from Marshall stability, indirect tensile strength, and resilient modulus testing. A modified Pennsylvania testing method (PTM) was also performed on the studied asphalt mixtures to verify the potential of asphalt binder film to minimize the expansive reactions of steel slag. It was observed that the level of steel slag expansion changes some of the material’s individual properties, which can affect the volumetric parameters of the mix design. The use of steel slag as aggregate in HMA also improves the mechanical properties of non-aged asphalt mixtures. Moreover, the expansive characteristics of this material could be minimized when combined with other asphalt mixture components.


2011 ◽  
Vol 225-226 ◽  
pp. 577-580
Author(s):  
Yong Ye ◽  
Yi Zhou Cai

The objective of this study is to investigate and evaluate the effect of fine aggregates (aggregate size smaller than or equal to 2.36 mm) on the compressive strength and creep behavior of asphalt mixtures. The variables that are considered in the study include the sizes and gradations of fine aggregate. A kind of standant aggregate gradation and four kinds of reduced aggregate gradation mixture specimens are used. Uniaxial compression and static creep tests were realized at different loading conditions. The test results showed that the different fine aggregate sizes do not result in significant differences in compressive strength and creep values using the same percentage of fine aggregates (38.4%). Only the different gradations showed a little differences for mixtures made with different gradations but same aggregate size (between 2.36 and 1.18 mm).


2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denisa Cihlářová ◽  
Ivan Fencl ◽  
Silvia Cápayová ◽  
Petr Pospíšil

Abstract The purpose of asphalt binder as a significant binder in road constructions is to permanently bind aggregates of different compositions and grain sizes. The asphalt binder itself does not have suitable adhesiveness, so after a period of time, bare grains can appear. This results in a gradual separation of the grains from an asphalt layer and the presence of potholes in a pavement. Adhesion promoters or adhesive agents are important and proven promoters in practice. They are substances mainly based on the fatty acids of polyamides which should increase the reliability of the asphalt’s binder adhesion to the aggregates, thus increasing the lifetime period of the asphalt mixture as well as its resistance to mechanical strain. The amount of a promoter or agent added to the asphalt mixture is negligible and constitutes about 0.3% of the asphalt’s binder weight. Nevertheless, even this quantity significantly increases the adhesive qualities of an asphalt binder. The article was created in cooperatation with the Slovak University of Technology, in Bratislava, Slovakia, and focuses on proving the new AD2 adhesive additive and comparing it with the Addibit and Wetfix BE promoters used on aggregates from the Skuteč - Litická and Bystřec quarries.


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