Effect of asphalt concrete strength properties on energy intensity of milling

Abstract

Asphalt removal is a complex, energy-intensive technological operation. The paper is devoted to the research of power and energy properties of cutting by the cutting elements of road milling machines. We have analyzed works devoted to the development of different road-building materials; based on the analysis, we deem it possible for the correlation to exist between the strength properties of asphalt concrete and the cutting resistance forces produced by the working units of road milling machines. The most suitable strength property is the contact strength of asphalt concrete determined by the static penetration method. The paper describes the methodology of experimental research in this area and presents the results of experimental studies. We prove a direct correlation between the tangential component of the cutting resistance force and limit contact stresses for three types of asphalt concrete. This makes it possible to quickly and reasonably determine the cutting resistance forces when milling asphalt concrete of different grades at different temperatures without having to conduct complex, expensive research. The established relationship between the asphalt concrete contact strength property and the tangential component of the cutting resistance force suggests that the asphalt concrete strength properties previously determined by temperature, composition, and structure can be replaced by one, namely, its contact strength. This can replace the huge list of existing materials with a single parameter — contact destruction strength.