Abstract
Climatic conditions of the territory where the road is located (air temperature, solar radiation) influence the “work” of asphalt concrete pavements. The influence causes shear deformations at high positive temperatures and the occurrence of cracks at low negative temperatures. In the late 80s, in the USA the asphalt pavement design system Superpave (Superior Performing Asphalt Pavements) defined the temperature limits of pavement “work”. The Performance Grade parameter has been introduced associated with the choice of bitumen. Based on the long-term climatic data the temperature limits have been determined for the territory of the Republic of Belarus.
Highlights
Asphalt concrete (AC) road pavements are subjected to transport loads
During the summer period of high positive temperatures the repeated influence of solar radiation and temperatures leads, first of all, to the occurrence of shear defects in AC pavements, such as waves and ruts that are caused by melting of free bitumen in the softened asphalt layer
Due to the daily temperature fluctuation, the phenomena of expansion-compression and sunlight effect on the road pavement, the temperature cracks and the reflected cracks appear in the road pavement (Fig. 3) (Nunn 1989)
Summary
Asphalt concrete (AC) road pavements are subjected to transport loads. During the summer period at the highest air temperatures the surface of AC pavement heats up to 50–60 °С. Due to the rise in surface temperature over the temperature of bitumen melting the asphalt softens and causes formation of waves, inflows and ruts. During the winter period as a result of pavement cooling and expansion-compression phenomenon the temperature cracks and the reflected cracks appear. In connection with these adverse conditions, the development of measures against the occurrence of road pavement defects and the definition of real maintenance conditions of AC pavements in a long-term perspective are very important
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