Rutting Evaluation of Alaskan Asphalt Pavement Containing Sustainable Materials

Abstract

Abstract Permanent pavement deformation, or rutting, is one of the most noticeable distresses in hot mix asphalt. In Alaska, pavement rutting concerns exist at different levels because of seasonal climate change and traffic variation across the entire state. A number of sustainable materials in recent years have been used in Alaska’s pavement construction for their durability and economic and environmental benefits. These materials include modified or highly modified asphalt, warm mix asphalt (WMA), and recycled asphalt pavement (RAP). Using these materials in asphalt pavements may overturn the current understanding of rutting performance in Alaska. Therefore, this study aimed at conducting comprehensive rutting evaluations of these sustainable materials and their applications in Alaska. Based on data collected from 29 Alaskan mixtures, Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient (ρ) was used to discover the link between asphalt pavement analyzer (APA) rut depth and asphalt mixture performance tester parameters for rutting evaluation in order to identify good rutting indicators. The correlation of APA rut depth and flow number (FN) was found to be the strongest, and FN was recommended for rutting evaluation if the APA test was not available. APA results confirmed the good rutting resistance of asphalt mixtures containing high-end modified binders, such as WMA that is produced by adding Sasobit and RAP. Preliminary field evaluation showed no significant rutting concerns in Alaska regarding the application of mixtures containing modified binders, WMA, and RAP.