Effects of rejuvenator seal and fog seal on performance of open-graded friction course pavement

Abstract

An open-graded friction course (OGFC) is a special-purpose surface layer of hot-mix asphalt (HMA) pavement that is increasingly being used around the world. Owing to its numerous benefits, OGFC is being regularly used as a final riding surface on interstate and high-traffic expressways by different highway agencies in the United States. However, some OGFC sections have experienced premature failure due to ravelling only after 6-8 years of service life. To maintain an effective, longer service life and enhanced performance of OGFC, preventive maintenance has been considered essential. There are several approaches to maintaining OGFC, one of which is the application of a fog seal and rejuvenator seal. A fog seal can reduce ravelling and extend the service life of OGFC while a rejuvenator seal can revitalise the existing aged asphalt binder in the top OGFC layer. This research focuses on optimising the fog and rejuvenator seal application rates by evaluating their effectiveness in terms of surface friction and durability. Three types of seal material were evaluated: Pavegaard (PG) and Pavepreserve (PP) asphalt rejuvenators and a cationic slow-setting asphalt emulsion (CSS-1H) as a fog seal. Improvement in abrasion resistance of OGFC pavement was observed on application of fog and rejuvenator seals but surface friction was reduced to some extent. Hamburg test clearly shows a trend that the medium application rate of 0.10 gallon/square yard is better in enhancing resistance to rutting/moisture susceptibility of OGFC.