Using Phase Change Material to Improve Asphalt Pavement Behavior

Abstract

This research is an attempt to use PCM technology in order to protect and treat the asphalt pavement from the influence of temperatures and thus not to crack the road pavements. Applying the phase change materials in roadway traffic domain is becoming an exploration research, although the PCM have been used in many fields. Depending on the properties of latent heat, we can apply the phase change materials to control and regulate temperature of asphalt pavement and keeping mix feasibility. Asphalt pavement is a material that can heat up to 60°C due to solar irradiation in summertime because of their excellent heat-absorbing properties. Using the PCM can treat the asphalt mixture pavement cracks related to temperature, enhance the performance of asphalt concrete pavement, and prolong the service life of asphalt concrete pavement. We address the procedure bitumen penetration grade 50/60 was used in this test. In this study, gravel and sand are used as coarse and fine aggregate respectively in hot mixture asphalt. In order to apply PCM in asphalt concrete pavement, mechanism of controlling temperature, road performance and mixture design method of asphalt mixture have been considered. Results show that maximum temperature of surface and bottom respectively is (43.41°C, 46.47°C), and the maximum absolute Delta (difference between surface and bottom) reached to 4.72°C.