Damage In Asphalt Mixtures Research Articles

Study on pore structure evolution and water damage of asphalt mixture under cyclic loading

For a long time, the water damage issues of asphalt mixture pavements have been highly regarded by engineers. However, the existing research is difficult to accurately describe the fatigue damage process of asphalt mixture under hydrodynamic pressure environments. In order to reveal the influence of water damage on the asphalt mixture structure and its mechanism, this study combined low-field NMR technology to investigate the evolution law of asphalt mixture pore structure under cyclic loading with different parameters. The erosion effect of the coupled loading-dynamic water environment on asphalt mixtures and their failure mechanisms are analyzed. The results show that the initial damage dominated by harmful pores and major-harm pores provides space for water migration and storage, and improves the sensitivity of asphalt mixture to water damage. Under the action of repeated cycles of stress increase-decrease, the irreversible hydrodynamic extrusion-cracking and friction-stripping deformations in the asphalt matrix increase. The micro-cracks inside the materials continue to expand and the pores are interconnected. To comprehensively consider the influence of initial porosity, maximum cyclic stress and the number of cycles, the cumulative damage model of the material is optimized based on the mechanism of pore structure evolution, and obtained more accurate porosity prediction results. This study can provide scientific reference and guidance for solving the problem of asphalt pavement disease and durability design.

A fatigue damage model of asphalt mixture considering tensile and compressive modulus decay

In practical asphalt pavement engineering, asphalt mixture experiences both tensile and compressive stresses, and the stress state plays a pivotal role in determining fatigue performance. This study thoroughly explores the fatigue damage characteristics of asphalt mixture, specifically emphasizing a meticulous analysis of the differences between tensile and compressive moduli. Initially, the compressive and tensile moduli of the asphalt mixture were calculated based on the dual modulus theory. Subsequently, differences in tensile and compressive moduli, along with fatigue performance characteristics, were evaluated through indirect tensile tests. Ultimately, a comprehensive fatigue damage model was proposed to ascertain the critical damage degree of the asphalt mixture, integrating both modulus decay and fatigue damage. The findings reveal that decay rates for the tensile modulus were higher than those observed for the compressive modulus. The tensile damage should be considered more in the design of pavement structures. Upon comparing the critical damage degree determined using the traditional modulus decay model with the comprehensive fatigue damage model, it can be deduced that the latter shows favorable applicability. The compressive fatigue modulus can better characterize the fatigue damage behavior. The model proposed in this study integrates modulus decay and fatigue damage information, offering a more comprehensive depiction of asphalt mixture damage behavior during fatigue processes.

Exploring the short-term water damage characteristics of asphalt mixtures: The combined effect of salt erosion and dynamic water scouring

In icy or snowy conditions, improper application and uneven dispersion of deicing salts on roadways can lead to saltwater accumulation, subsequently causing roadway scouring when vehicles transit. This study aims to assess the combined influence of salt erosion and dynamic water scouring on short-term water damage of asphalt mixtures. A custom-designed dynamic water scouring simulation apparatus is used, employing three diverse deicing salt solutions as agents for dynamic water scouring. Numerous iterations of dynamic water scouring tests are conducted on two types of graded asphalt mixtures. Post-scouring, alterations in air void content and water stability are evaluated through void content tests, Marshall water immersion tests, and freeze-thaw splitting tests. Additionally, the GM (1,N) damage prediction model from gray theory is applied for data modeling and prediction. The results reveal a significant impact of the combined effects of salt erosion and dynamic water scouring on the short-term performance of asphalt mixtures. In the early phase, dynamic water scouring primarily influences the asphalt composite, augmenting micro-cracks and causing aggregate disintegration. The intermediate phase sees the disintegration of the asphalt membrane by deicing salts, disrupting adhesion between asphalt and aggregate, and progressively leading to the emergence of new micro-cracks. During later stages, dynamic water scouring continues to deteriorate the asphalt composite, building on the erosion instigated by deicing salts, resulting in the expansion of newly formed micro-cracks and further aggregate disintegration. Among the three deicing salts, CH4N2O exhibits the most pronounced impact on short-term water damage, followed by NaCl, while CH2CH3OH has the least effect. Increasing the fine aggregate proportion in the asphalt mixture enhances water damage resistance. The GM (1,N) damage prediction model effectively anticipates air void content and water stability of asphalt mixtures. The research outcomes offer theoretical and technical support for understanding the durability and service lifespan of asphalt pavements in cold regions.

Quantification of tiny damage variation in asphalt mixture during the low-temperature thermal cycle

The performance evaluation of asphalt materials during low-temperature thermal cycles remains a challenge, particularly in quantifying the early tiny damage development and recovery processes. To address this issue, a high-sensitivity nonlinear ultrasonic method - the second harmonic generation (SHG) technique in the form of Rayleigh surface waves, is proposed to investigate these behaviors in asphalt mixture. The decrease in thermal contraction value and stiffness modulus with cycles verifies the damage behavior at the macro level. Turning points in crack length, crack density, and nonlinear parameter during the thermal cycle indicate the generation of cracks from − 20 ℃ to − 30 ℃ during the cooling process. The decrease of crack length and crack density in the heating phase demonstrates the recovery of asphalt. The nonlinear ultrasonic parameter β'(c) caused by crack is successfully separated from the total nonlinear parameter β', and the recovery index (RI)is defined to quantify the recovery behavior. Both of them are highly consistent with crack length and crack density. While the sensitivity index (SI) of nonlinear parameter is hundreds or thousands of times greater than other measurements of damage development. Furthermore, a qualitative correlation between the nonlinear parameters and plastic strain has been established. This breakthrough widens the scope of studying low-temperature weak damage in asphalt mixtures, moving beyond the confines of crack analysis.

A Design Method on Durable Asphalt Pavement of Flexible Base on Anti-Rutting Performance and Its Application.

To solve the durability of flexible base asphalt pavement, especially its anti-rutting problem, a design method on durable asphalt pavement of flexible base on anti-rutting performance was put forward in the paper, based on many experiments and calculations. Firstly, a method that asphalt could be selected according to penetration and the anti-rutting factor of its base asphalt was found, which solved the problem of the asphalt selection of the flexible base asphalt mixture design. Meanwhile, a method of skeleton-density structure gradation design was proposed based on the fractal void ratio of coarse aggregate, fractal volume of fine aggregate in coarse aggregate, penetration, fractal dimension of gradation particle size, and rutting tests, which effectively solved in advance the rutting and fatigue performance of flexible base asphalt mixtures. Then, on the basis of the fatigue damage, a calculation method of fatigue life was suggested, which solved the problem that the fatigue damage of asphalt mixtures rarely considered the combined effects of creep damage and fatigue damage. In addition, a calculation method of rutting was formulated based on vehicle dynamic load and ANSYS 16.0 software. Lastly, the feasibility of the design method on durable asphalt pavement of flexible base on anti-rutting performance was verified combining with the real engineering of a supporting project and several numerical calculations and tests.

Characterizing fatigue damage evolution in asphalt mixtures using acoustic emission and Gaussian mixture model analysis

The identification and investigation of fatigue crack evolution and damage modes in asphalt mixtures are crucial for understanding the corresponding mechanisms and characteristics of fatigue failure. In this study, the four-point bending fatigue tests were performed on the asphalt mixture specimens with precast joints using the acoustic emission (AE) technique to analyze the damage evolution. The failure modes of the asphalt mixtures were identified using the Gaussian mixture model (GMM). The results revealed that the fatigue damage of the asphalt mixtures can be categorized into four stages: Stage I (void compaction), Stage II (microcrack initiation and stable propagation), Stage III (crack aggregation and unstable propagation), and Stage IV (complete fracture). This division was defined based on the inflection points of the axial displacement curves, the cumulative number of AE events, and the cumulative ringing counts. The evolution of the AE b value was found to be correlated with the crack propagation. The rapid decline in the b value in Stage III was considered a harbinger of the eventual complete fracture in the asphalt mixtures. The GMM clustering analysis indicated that the fatigue damage of the asphalt mixtures primarily involved tensile damage (90%), and shear damage made a small contribution of 10%. Existing AE studies have focused on the quantitative evaluation of AE parameters, while research on clustering identification algorithms for these parameters is scarce. The analytical methods and findings of this study enable an effective identification of fatigue damage in asphalt mixtures at the laboratory scale and offer insights into the fatigue damage mechanisms of asphalt mixtures.

Linear viscoelastic properties and fatigue S-VECD based evaluation of polymer-modified asphalt mixtures

Direct tensile fatigue tests associated with the simplified continuous damage viscoelastic model (S-VECD) have proven to be an effective tool for evaluating fatigue in asphalt materials. Thus, this study evaluated the fatigue damage of asphalt mixtures modified by the addition of polymer based on the results of the direct tensile fatigue test using the S-VECD model. Three asphalt mixtures were produced: a control asphalt binder with 50/70 penetration, a polymer-modified styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) asphalt binder, and a mixture produced with a modified asphalt binder (composed of 98.38% control + 1.26% Ethylene Methyl Acrylate and Glycidyl Methacrylate (EMA-GMA) + 0.21% High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) + 0.15% Polyphosphoric Acid (PPA116%)). The binders were evaluated for physical and rheological properties, and fatigue using the Linear Amplitude Sweep (LAS) test, applying the S-VECD model. Asphalt mixtures were evaluated for stiffness using tensile strength, resilient modulus and flow number tests. The viscoelastic linear behaviour (LVE) was characterized based on the dynamic modulus test and the fatigue performance was evaluated from the uniaxial direct traction test with the application of the S-VECD viscoelastic damage model. The results of the LAS test indicated that the modified binder presented the best fatigue performance, being classified according to the binder fatigue factor (FFB) as excellent. Mixtures with binders modified by polymers showed the highest values in mechanical performance tests. As for the LVE behaviour, the mixture with the modified binder showed the expected behaviour, with higher dynamic modulus values at high temperatures (low reduced frequencies), and the lowest modulus values at lower temperatures (high reduced frequencies). In addition, for the entire spectrum of frequencies and temperatures, the modified mixture presented the lowest values of phase angle, indicating more elastic and less viscous behaviour. From the direct tensile test, based on the GR failure criterion, the modified mixture showed better fatigue performance, with a higher value of the Fatigue Factor of the Mixture (FFM). Based on the DR failure criterion, from the Sapp damage capacity, mixtures with polymers were classified with the best performances concerning fatigue. Therefore, the use of polymer-modified binders promoted asphalt mixtures with better fatigue damage performance.

Influence of glass fibre grid and its placement on the fatigue damage of asphalt mixture

Influence of glass fibre grid and its placement on the fatigue damage of asphalt mixture

Study on fatigue damage evolution and model prediction of asphalt pavement in the end-stage of service

Through the use of the material test system (MTS), bending fatigue tests are conducted in this work in order to investigate the attenuation law of fatigue performance of asphalt pavement in the end-stage of service. Response surface methodology (RSM) is used to analyze the effects of strain, frequency, and temperature on the asphalt surface layer's initial stiffness, fatigue life, phase angle, and cumulative dissipated energy when there is a 50 % reduction in the initial stiffness. Through multi-factor coupling analysis, the optimal combination is found and verified by the MTS-810 test system. Based on this, the data of the initial stiffness declining to 20 % was used for analysis on the AC-13C asphalt surface mixture of the APT full-size test road in the laboratory. At 15 °C and 10 Hz, the evolution law of the flexural stiffness, the residual stiffness, phase angle, and cumulative dissipated energy of the asphalt mixture was investigated. Analysis of the asphalt mixture's damage evolution under the single stage of loading and various strain levels revealed changes in the fatigue cracking crack. Beam specimens were made from asphalt mixture field test beams of AC-13C (laboratory accelerated pavement test road), AC-20C, and AC-25C (Ji-Qing expressway) to conduct four-point bending fatigue test (4PB). According to the constant strain fatigue prediction equation, and the residual fatigue life of prediction localized model was established. The results show that the influence of frequency and temperature on the initial stiffness and phase angle is more significant than strain, and the influence of strain on number of fatigue is more significant. The flexural stiffness of the asphalt mixture shows an obvious S-curve, and larger the tensile strain at the bottom of the asphalt layer, shorter the time needed to reach the termination condition, that is, the faster the fatigue failure occurs. When the damage termination condition is reached, under the strain level of 200–300 με, 60 % of the number of loading produce about 35–40 % damage, and the remaining 20 % of the number of loading lead to 10–20 % damage.

Simulation of Creep Damage of Asphalt Mixture Based on Discrete Element Method

This paper proposes a creative approach for conducting discrete element simulation of creep tests to simulate the mechanical behavior of asphalt mixture and analyze the mechanism of creep damage by virtual tests. Based on the discrete element method (DEM), the creative approach named the aggregate template method was presented to generate the irregular polyhedron of coarse aggregate by 3DsMax and PFC3D. The asphalt mortar was then replaced by spherical particles and by PFC3D. Based on the above preparation, the uniaxial creep tests were simulated by PFC3D and verified by actual tests to illuminate the micromechanical behavior and the creep damage of asphalt mixtures. The test results indicate that the fracture of force chains is consistent with the damage of real samples. The load is used to damage the sample by breaking the bond between the particles and the temperature is used to soften the asphalt mortar particles to damage the sample. The attenuation rate of the cohesive force of particles at the boundary of the sample is obviously larger than that at the center in the process of loading. It was verified that the aggregate template method in DEM is a reasonable approach for studying the creep test of asphalt mixtures by error analysis.

Influence of Wetting-Drying cycles on the linear viscoelastic properties of asphalt mixtures

The top asphalt layers of pavement structures are subjected to loading demands and multiple environmental factors. Even though existing studies on moisture damage in asphalt mixtures have demonstrated the deleterious effects of water on different mechanical properties of these materials, the impact caused by changes in the partial saturation during the application of wetting–drying cycles on the linear viscoelastic properties of the mixture is an unexplored field. This study quantifies, for the first time, the changes in these properties (i.e., dynamic modulus, |E*|, and phase angle, ϕ) of a conventional asphalt mixture subjected to multiple wetting–drying moisture vapour cycles. The testing specimens were conditioned at five different relative humidity (RH) environments that were increased (wet path) or reduced (dry path) gradually, causing different saturation levels within their microstructures. The magnitude of |E*| and ϕ of the specimens was measured after reaching a steady state condition at each individual RH environment. In total, the specimens were subjected to five wetting–drying cycles and to a total of 41 dynamic modulus tests. The results corroborate that the degree of saturation impacts the linear viscoelastic properties of the mixture and show the irreversible effect of wetting–drying cycles on these properties. Since the dynamic modulus is an input parameter in the design of flexible pavements, the results also suggest that the degradation of this property due to changes in the partial saturation under field conditions could be included as part of existing mechanistic-empirical design methodologies.

Role of Surface Roughness in Surface Energy Calculation of Aggregate Minerals

Surface energy is a key material property and can work as a crucial parameter in various mechanical models to predict the moisture sensitivity and fatigue damage of asphalt mixtures. The calculated surface energy values of the aggregate minerals strongly depend on their surface roughness. Therefore, it is very relevant for accurate calculation of surface energy to study the relationship between roughness and surface energy. This study aims to investigate the relationship between surface roughness and surface energy of aggregate minerals. Two minerals—quartz and calcite—were used for this study. The surfaces of the mineral specimens were treated to achieve four levels of roughness. Their surface roughness was described by three roughness parameters. Based on the sessile drop method, an optical tensiometer with a 3D topography module was employed to measure the contact angle and the surface energy of the minerals with different roughness. The influences of surface roughness on the contact angle and the surface energy were then analyzed. The results showed that the contact angle for both quartz and calcite decreases with the increasing surface roughness when it is less than 90° and increases when it is greater than 90°. The Wenzel equation can remove the effect of surface roughness on the contact angles of the minerals. The surface energy of quartz and calcite in the presence of roughness at the microscale would be underestimated when using the measured (apparent) contact angle. The corrected surface energy based on the Wenzel equation must be applied to represent the real surface energy of the minerals.

Evaluation of the Impact of Oxidation and Moisture Conditioning on Indirect Tensile Asphalt Cracking Test Parameters and the Tensile Strength Ratio

This study evaluated the effect of laboratory oxidation and testing temperature on asphalt mixtures’ moisture damage. The purpose of this study was to present a modified American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) T283 testing procedure that is more sensitive to moisture damage in asphalt mixtures. This study assessed the original test conditioning (OTC), short-term oxidative conditioning (STOC), and long-term oxidative conditioning (LTOC). Three performance grades (PGs)—PG 64-22, PG 76-22, and PG 52-34—and three test temperatures—the ambient laboratory temperature (25°C), asphalt intermediate temperature, and climate intermediate temperature (CIT)—were selected. To better understand the oxidation and moisture conditioning effects, AASHTO T283’s Tensile Strength Ratio ( TSR%) was utilized. Furthermore, additional analysis of the load–displacement curve parameters was carried out using the Indirect Tensile Asphalt Cracking Test, where an interaction diagram that included the mixture toughness ( Gf), ductile–brittle behavior ratio ( l75/ m75), and their interactions with CTindex was created. Statistical analysis was conducted using analysis of variance and Tukey’s post-hoc analysis to determine an appropriate oxidation and testing temperature where moisture damage is most sensitive. Results showed that higher oxidation and CIT had the greatest impact on TSR%. Moisture conditioning increased the CTindex and oxidation reduced the CTindex. The increase in CTindex was attributable to an increasing l75/| m75| and decreasing Gf. The CTindex decreased because of reducing l75/| m75| and increasing Gf. The statistical analyses showed that asphalt mixtures are more susceptible to moisture damage at STOC and LTOC than OTC. Overall, the findings highlight the need for an alternative oxidation conditioning and testing at the CIT to more accurately detect moisture damage in asphalt mixtures.

Moisture Susceptibility of Asphalt Mixtures: Conditioning and Testing Protocols

Moisture damage is a common distress in asphalt pavements caused by infiltrated moisture, which degrades mixture strength and affects pavement durability. Loaded wheel tracking (LWT) and modified Lottman (ML) tests are the two commonly used mechanical tests for assessing the moisture susceptibility of asphalt mixtures, but they have been reported to show limitations in consistently ascertaining the moisture sensitivity of different asphalt mixtures under field conditions. This study evaluated the effectiveness of different laboratory mechanical tests (LWT, ML, and semi-circular bend [SCB]) in ascertaining moisture sensitivity of asphalt mixtures. LWT, ML, and SCB tests were conducted on asphalt mixtures prepared with two asphalt binders (an unmodified PG 67-22 and a styrene-butadiene-styrene polymer-modified PG 70-22) and three aggregate types (limestone, crushed gravel, and semi-crushed gravel). Before testing, asphalt binder and mixture samples were exposed to five moisture conditioning levels: (1) unconditioned (dry), (2) single freeze-thaw cycle, (3) triple freeze-thaw cycle, (4) moisture induced stress tester (MiST) 3,500 cycles, and (5) MiST 7,000 cycles. A multiple stress creep recovery test was conducted on asphalt binders subjected to the five moisture conditioning levels. Results showed that the stress sensitivity of asphalt binders decreased after freeze-thaw and MiST conditioning. LWT rut depth and a new parameter which was developed as part of the study, SCB Jd ratio, were found to capture the progressive moisture damage in asphalt mixtures associated with different moisture conditioning levels. Mixtures containing PG 70-22 asphalt binder exhibited better moisture damage resistance compared with mixtures containing PG 67-22 asphalt binder.

Understanding the moisture sensitivity of warm-mix asphalt binders based on bond strength

Moisture damage in asphalt mixtures is typically attributed to the loss of bond strength at the interface of the asphalt binder and aggregate matrix. Selecting an appropriate combination of materials that resist moisture-induced damage is therefore critical. This concern is of utmost importance when asphalt mixtures are prepared at lower temperatures (i.e. warm-mix asphalt (WMA) mixtures). An attempt was thus made to quantify the impact of moisture on asphalt mixtures prepared using four different WMA additives and two aggregates through bond strength tests. The results showed that WMA binders imparted similar or even higher bond strength than the base asphalt binder, regardless of the aggregate source and moisture exposure (wet or dry). The use of WMA additives improved the moisture sensitivity (evaluated through the bond strength ratio), despite lower production temperatures, compared with the base asphalt binder (VG30). Statistical analysis showed that the asphalt binder type significantly affected the bonding mechanism and moisture sensitivity. Based on the ranking protocol used in this study, use of the chemical-based WMA additive Rediset showed the best performance compared with other WMA additives in VG30.

Experimental simulation for moisture damage of saturated asphalt mixture and evolution of mixture’s pore water pressure, accumulative strain

Moisture damage has significant impact on pavement’s performance and service life, researching this kind of distress’ mechanical mechanism, experimental simulation protocol or theoretical analysis method continues to be the research that should be conducted in depth for pavement researchers. But, due to the complexity of this distress’ influencing factors, there is still not a satisfactory research result by far, particularly for its experimental simulation test, the current research lack of a satisfactory apparatus or protocol that can simulate asphalt mixture’s moisture damage in lab. So then, this paper, basing on a fully mechanical analysis in advance for asphalt pavement’s moisture damage, develops an experimental apparatus being capability to simulate and investigate asphalt mixture’s moisture damage in lab by improving a dynamic triaxial tester, then utilizes this improved triaxial tester investigate moisture damage of asphalt mixture with different air void percent or applied by different confining pressure, and acquires these mixture’s characteristics regarding their pore water pressure evolution, strain cumulation, specimen deformation as well as their influencing factors, then classifies these test results into three types according to their characteristics. The test results demonstrate, this developed apparatus can comparatively satisfactorily simulate mixture’s moisture damage phenomena in lab, its simulation test results are close to field investigation results, and air void percent, confining pressure and loading frequency are the principal factors that have significant impact on mixture’s moisture damage test results. For the specimen with lower air void percent or under a higher confining pressure, their test results are primarily type 1, whose pore water pressure and cumulative strain are relatively low, deformation are pure compression. Whereas, for the specimen with larger air void percent or applied by higher confining pressure, their pore water pressure and cumulative strain are usually larger, specimen are generally observed with stripping or cracking in the end of test, even some are found with diagonal cracks, these characteristics are classified as type 3. As for type 2, their test results are primarily between that of type 1 and type 3, their pore water pressure, cumulative strain are relatively large, yet specimen’s deformation mainly attribute to compression, and only swelling in radial direction or slight stripping are found with specimens.

Investigate the Effect of Using Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement RAP and Polymer-Modified Bitumen on the Moisture Damage of Hot Mix Asphalt

Asphalt additives, in general, aim to improve the performance of asphalt mixtures by enhancing their durability and resistance to cracking and other forms of damage. Asphalt additives can be natural or synthetic, and some are biodegradable. Natural asphalt additives, such as reclaimed asphalt pavement, are much more environmentally friendly than synthetic ones. Using environmentally friendly asphalt additives can help reduce the environmental impact of the asphalt mix while enhancing its performance. This study aims to evaluate the effects of using reclaimed asphalt paving (RAP) and styrene butadiene styrene (SBS) on the performance and moisture damage of asphalt mixture, and ordinary Portland cement (OPC) was used as mineral fillers. The research includes establishing a standard reference mix for comparison and two mixtures with different quantities of reclaimed asphalt paving at percentages (15, 30, and 45%) and polymer (SBS) at 4%. The Marshall test for stability and the indirect tensile strength test were among the tests used to evaluate the mechanical properties, and the results showed that the use of reclaimed asphalt pavers and polymer-prepared bitumen led to a significant improvement in the performance of the asphalt mixture and reduced moisture damage compared to the reference mixture.

Investigating the Mechanical Properties and Durability of Asphalt Mixture Modified with Epoxidized Natural Rubber (ENR) under Short and Long-Term Aging Conditions.

Modifiers such as fibers, fillers, natural and synthetic polymer extenders, oxidants and anti-oxidants, and anti-stripping agents are added to produce modified asphalt. However, polymers are the most widely utilized modifiers to enhance the function of asphalt mixtures. The objective of this research was to evaluate the mechanical properties and durability of epoxidized natural rubber (ENR)-modified asphalt mix under short- and long-term aging conditions. The physical and rheological characteristics of the base asphalt and ENR-modified asphalt (ENRMA) were tested. In order to evaluate the mechanical properties and durability of the modified mixtures, the resilient modulus of the ENR-asphalt mixtures under unaged, and short- and long-term aging conditions at various temperatures and frequencies was obtained. Furthermore, the resistance to moisture damage of asphalt mixtures was investigated. The findings showed that the stiffness of the ENR-asphalt mixes increased because of the mutual influence of short- and long-term aging on the mixes. In addition, ENR reduced the susceptibility to moisture damage. The stiffness of the mixes was influenced by the temperature and frequencies. By using mathematical modelling via the multivariable power least squares method, it was found that temperature was the dominant factor among all other factors. The results suggested that the durability of asphalt pavements is improved by using ENR.

Fatigue damage evolution in asphalt mixture based on X-ray CT images

The fatigue damage of asphalt pavement occurs and develops under repeated vehicle loads, and its macro manifestation is the deterioration of mechanical properties and serviceability. In order to explore the internal cause of fatigue damage of asphalt mixtures, this paper proposed a method to obtain the internal section images of asphalt mixtures in different fatigue damage stages based on the X-ray CT (Computed Tomography) scanning technique and indirect tensile fatigue test. The fatigue damage evolutions in two different gradation types of AC and OGFC asphalt mixture were studied. The results show that the difference in gradation type causes different initial air void shapes, size and distribution, which result in different formation modes of the main cracks and fatigue damage resistance of asphalt mixture. The evolution of air voids during fatigue loading can be divided into three stages: compression, steady growth and rapid expansion. The macro fatigue damage presents an excellent linear relation (R-values > 0.98) with the internal structural damage.

Optimization of surface free energy parameters for asphalt binder-aggregate system based on RBF neural network model

Asphalt pavement is subject to water damage frequently, which reduces the level of service that it provides and contributes to many road diseases. The surface free energy (SFE) theory has proven to be a trustworthy approach to assess water damage in asphalt mixtures. The goal of this investigation was to optimize the SFE parameters of asphalt binder-aggregate systems using an RBF neural network model. In this research, the SFE parameters of asphalt binder-aggregate systems were calculated firstly. Then, the modified boiling water test and the immersion Marshall test, as well as the freeze–thaw splitting test were then used to assess the asphalt mixtures’ adhesive properties and water stability. Thereafter, the comprehensive analysis method of entropy weight was used to conduct a thorough evaluation of the asphalt mixtures’ resistance to water damage. Next, the comprehensive evaluation index, Wi, of the asphalt mixtures’ resistance to water damage was used as the output layer of the RBF neural network model to optimize the SFE parameters. Finally, the feasibility of the optimized the SFE parameters using RBF neural network model was verified by establishing the connection between the optimized SFE parameters and the asphalt mixtures’ resistance to water damage by the entropy weight comprehensive analysis method. The results showed that among the SFE parameters of asphalt binder-aggregate systems optimized using the RBF neural network model, the Lewis base component and the Lifshitz nonpolar component of the aggregate played a dominant role in the ability to resist water damage, followed by the VDW adhesion work and the VDW de-bonding work formed by van der Waals forces. Furthermore, the asphalt binder-aggregate system composed of limestone had the best adhesion properties among all aggregates.