Field Performance Evaluation of High Polymer-Modified Asphalt Concrete Overlays

Abstract

The objective of this paper was to assess the viability of using high polymer (HP) modified asphalt concrete (AC) mixtures in Virginia as a reflective crack mitigation technique or when deemed appropriate as a tool for increased crack resistance on higher volume facilities. This was achieved by compiling and evaluating routine distress survey data against pre-paving distress survey data for relevant in-service HP pavements constructed between 2015 and 2018 and comparing them with several control in-service conventional polymer-modified asphalt (PMA) pavements. This is the first effort in North America to provide a detailed field performance of HP AC mixtures. In general, none of the evaluated mixtures (HP or PMA) was able to prevent reflective cracking completely. The HP sections showed the most promising performance 5 years after construction regardless of traffic level and the pre-existing pavement conditions. The pavement management system data for the reviewed sections indicated a potential controlling effect of the joint condition of the underlying jointed concrete pavement layer regardless of the asphalt mixture type employed (PMA or HP). Moreover, performance evaluations using the network-level pavement management data were conducted to estimate the life expectancy of HP AC overlays. Two different approaches and three levels of analysis were undertaken. Overall, PMA and HP AC overlays had an average predicted service life of 6.2 and 8.3 years, respectively, indicating a 34% extension of performance life of the AC overlays with high polymer modification.