Investigation of resilient modulus and permanent deformation of tropical soil with Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement

Abstract

By the end of 2020, the mechanistic-empirical method for pavement design had come into effect in Brazil. Several studies have analyzed the use of alternative or non-conventional materials in pavement structures and have shown that local soils can be improved by the incorporation of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP). Therefore, this paper aims to analyze the performance of mixtures of Brazilian lateritic soil with RAP for applications in granular layers of asphalt pavements. Different proportions of the mixture were used: mixture 1 (0 % RAP, 100 % Soil), mixture 2 (25 % RAP, 75 % Soil) and mixture 3 (50 % RAP, 50 % Soil). The study’s methodology involves the characterization of lateritic soil, the mechanical performance analysis of the proposed mixtures by the resilient modulus and permanent deformation tests, and mechanistic-empirical pavement performance simulation, using the specific Brazilian MeDiNa software, which was developed and calibrated for specific Brazilian traffic, climate and material conditions. The results indicated that the addition of RAP to lateritic soil can improve the performance of the material for granular layers of asphalt pavements. In addition, the mixture with 25 % RAP showed the best behavior, in terms of the appearance of a cracked area and a less significant worsening, in terms of deformation, when compared to the soil without the addition of RAP. Thus, this study contributes to knowledge in the transportation infrastructure field, regarding the mechanistic-empirical parameters for composite mixtures of lateritic soils and RAP and enabling the implementation of satisfactory sustainable solutions involving the disposal of waste in pavement construction.