Model Mobile Load Simulator Research Articles

The evolution of tire-road wear particles and road surface texture under rolling friction

Traffic-related non-exhaust emissions are an important part of air pollution, which can adversely affect human health when inhaled. Tire-road wear is a significant source of these emissions and originates from tire-road friction. To gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between tire-road wear particles and road surface texture under rolling friction, this study conducted long-term durability experiments using a Model Mobile Load Simulator at 1/3rd scale to form a closed environmental test system. The experiments were conducted under 30°C, 50 % relative humidity, 0.7 MPa tire-ground pressure, and 5.4 km/h rolling speed. Based on an analysis of asphalt concrete-13 Marshall samples’ British Pendulum Number (BPN) value, Mean Texture Depth (MTD), wear particle size distribution, particulate matter (PM) concentration, and thermogravimetric analysis during 1600,000 rolling times, this study draws the following conclusions: This indoor research has indicated that the weight ratio of tire and asphalt wear to aggregates and mineral fillers is approximately 4.5:5.5 (after stabilization). When the tire contacts the aggregate exposed after asphalt film peeling, it significantly increases PM10 concentration. Under the rolling friction of the tire-road contact, the quality loss of asphalt concrete follows an exponential decay curve with an R2 of 0.99. Road (asphalt concrete pavement) wear per square meter of tire-road contact was 5.32×10^−4 g and 2.13×10^−4 g (before and after asphalt film peeling). It is hoped that this study will contribute to the field of tire-road wear, including non-exhaust emissions, and provide methods and theoretical support for mitigating re-suspension dust.

Research on the evolution law of aggregate micro-texture during long-term wearing of asphalt pavement

The micro-texture of aggregates plays a very important role in anti-skid performance of asphalt pavement. Three kinds of aggregates, limestone, basalt and sandstone, were used to prepare asphalt mixture to study the evolution law of micro-texture of aggregates under long-term wear. One Third Scaled Model Mobile Load Simulator (MMLS) was used to conduct wear tests on asphalt mixtures under two working conditions: drying and water immersion. Laser confocal scanning microscopy (LCSM) was used to test and analyze the micro-texture evolution of the original aggregate, mixed aggregate, and accelerated loaded aggregate surfaces. The mechanism of texture evolution was analyzed based on the mineral composition, Vickers hardness, and micro-structure of the aggregate. The results show that wear can lead to varying degrees of polishing of the aggregate micro-texture, with limestone>basalt>sandstone, and the drying condition is more severe than the water immersion condition. The wear degree of the texture is closely related to the mineral composition and hardness of the aggregate. The more complex the mineral composition, the greater the hardness and hardness dispersion, the less likely the texture will be polished. The micro-texture indexes Ra and Rq have the highest correlation with anti-skid performance, and the relationship between them is obtained by fitting. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) shows that the fine particles in sandstone are easy to fall off, which is conducive to the regeneration of texture, and is also the internal reason for its best anti-skid durability.

Tracking particle displacements in unbound aggregate layers of roadways

ABSTRACT Accelerated pavement tests were conducted on reduced-scale pavement sections under controlled environmental conditions using the model Mobile Load Simulator (MLS11). A unique monitoring system was developed as part of this study to evaluate the response of the pavement sections under rolling wheel loads. The performance of the sections with an increasing number of wheel passes was evaluated by measuring the surface rutting as well as the subsurface displacement of particles within the base layer. The sections were built in modular frames constructed above grade to facilitate access to the particles within the base layer from the sides of the frame. Surface rutting was measured intermittently using an in-house developed laser profilometer. A unique, cost-effective assembly of 30 linear position transducers was designed to continuously track the displacements of artificial particles within the base layer. The displacements, measured with the new system, were found to be particularly suitable to generate horizontal permanent displacement fields and strain fields. Overall, the new developments allowed comprehensive monitoring of the internal response of pavements subjected to wheel loading.

Effect of Simultaneous Application of Glass Fiber Reinforcement and Polymer-Modified Asphalt Emulsion on DBST’s Resistance to Aggregate Loss Using Laboratory Investigation

Double bituminous surface treatment (DBST) has been a widely utilized pavement maintenance material due to its capability to restore the surface roughness of existing pavement and provide a layer of protection against weathering, aging, and moisture. However, DBST is highly prone to aggregate loss at an early stage, which is a very common problem experienced by surface treatment. Therefore, to lessen the aggregate loss and prolong the service life of DBST, fiber additive can be incorporated to strengthen the adhesion between the asphalt emulsion and aggregates. This study investigated the performance of glass fiber-reinforced polymer-modified DBST against aggregate loss by conducting laboratory tests using typical DBST as the benchmark of the test results. Four laboratory tests were chosen to represent different loading applications on the surface of the pavement: the bitumen bond strength (BBS) test, the sweep test, the Hamburg wheel-track test (HWT test), and a one-third-scale model mobile load simulator (MMLS3) model. Furthermore, the curing time of the asphalt emulsion was considered in the BBS test and sweep test. Based on all results from the conducted laboratory tests, polymer-modified DBST with glass fiber reinforcement presented an increased resistance to aggregate loss compared with typical DBST. Moreover, it was found that a longer curing time of the asphalt emulsion, whether it was typical or modified, strengthened the surface treatment’s resistance to aggregate loss.

Evaluation of intermixing application of geotextiles at subgrade-base interface using accelerated pavement testing

This study focuses on identifying and quantifying the potential benefits of a geotextile separator in flexible pavements placed at the interface between a granular base and an underlying soft subgrade with high water content and a granular base. While benefits of using separators in roadway applications have been generally acknowledged, quantification of such benefits has been limited. The evaluation in this study is based on the results from two accelerated pavement tests using a one-third scale Model Mobile Load Simulator (MMLS3) device. Both models have identical configuration except that a non-woven geotextile was placed at the interface between the subgrade and base layer to serve as a separator in one of the pavement models. The subgrade material used in this study involved a soil mixture containing fifty percent kaolin and fifty percent Monterey sand #30. The base material was an angular AASHTO #8 aggregate. Additionally, an instrumentation program was implemented involving sensors to track the earth pressure distribution, the subgrade excess pore pressures generation, the change in moisture content of the subgrade and the horizontal particle displacement of the base layer. During exhumation of the pavement models, base and subgrade samples were collected to quantify the levels of intermixing. The results of the APT were quantified in terms of the traffic benefit ratio (TBR), which was as high as 6.4 for 25.4 mm rutting showing the significant benefit of using a non-woven geotextile as a separator to extend the design life of flexible pavements. The differences in performance observed between the control and the separation pavement models were found to correlate well with the amount of intermixing observed at the interface between subgrade and base layers. A series of soil columns were tested using cyclic loading to extend the intermixing analysis to different subgrade types with different fine content and geotextiles. The study concluded that higher levels of fine contain in the subgrade would lead to higher levels of intermixing. A correlation between the pore size of the geotextiles and the pumping of subgrade into the base was identified suggesting that smaller pore size would mitigate the pumping intermixing mechanism more efficiently.

Structural optimization and performance testing of concentrated photovoltaic panels for pavement

Solar pavement can convert sunlight shining on the pavement surface into clean electricity through photovoltaic panels, thereby transforming the energy structure of road transportation. In order to balance the light transmittance and anti-skid resistance of the solar pavement surface, this study proposed a concentrated photovoltaic panel (CPP) structure for pavement. The panel structure was optimized, and a laboratory model was developed. The mechanical properties and durability of the panel were tested by the multi-functional material test system (MTS) and the model mobile load simulator 3 (MMLS3). Furthermore, the electrical performance was evaluated by an outdoor test, followed by an economic evaluation. The results show that the optimal structural dimensions of the CPP for pavement are 540 mm long × 540 mm in length × 144.62 mm in thickness. The maximum flexural tensile strength of its anti-skid concentrated panel is 61.67 MPa, satisfying the requirements of the traffic load. After 1.35 million cycles of loading, the surface of the anti-skid concentrated panel is free of cracks and deformation and has no obvious wear, exhibiting good transmittance durability and excellent wear resistance. In addition, the overall structure of the panel counteracts the light loss effect of the material and improves the light concentration performance, providing a gain effect on the power generation of the panel, especially in the case of high irradiance. The return on investment (ROI) of CPP for pavement is 54.42%, with cost recovery in 9.87 years. The levelized cost of energy is 0.67 CNY/kWh, indicating significant economic benefits. At the same time, 1539.3 kg/m2 of CO2 emissions can be avoided during the operation cycle, and the environmental benefits are also considerable. This study can provide a reference for the promotion and application of photovoltaic power generation technology in road engineering.

Implementation of ensemble Artificial Neural Network and MEMS wireless sensors for In-Situ asphalt mixture dynamic modulus prediction

Dynamic modulus is an essential mechanical property for pavement structural condition assessment yet obtaining the in-situ dynamic modulus of asphalt mixture efficiently and accurately has never been easy. With the development of sensing technology, a type of Micro-Electromechanical Sensor (MEMS), SmartRock, has been applied in pavement monitoring because of its convenience and high efficiency; but interpreting the collected data as useful engineering information becomes a new challenge. This paper aims to present a data processing algorithm for sensing data in pavement engineering and develop a dynamic modulus predictive model based on the ensemble artificial neural network (ANN) model using SmartRock sensing data. Five asphalt mixtures were tested by the uniaxial dynamic modulus test, and one of the 5 mixes was also used in the third-scale model mobile load simulator (MMLS3) test. SmartRock sensors were installed in the specimens to collect the mechanical response during the tests. The empirical mode decomposition (EMD) method was used for data preprocessing. Dynamic modulus test data, in combination with a small portion of early-stage MMLS3 sensing data, were used as the training dataset, while the remaining MMLS3 data were used as the testing dataset. The results show that the ensemble ANN model is feasible and robust in predicting the dynamic modulus of the asphalt mixture in the MMLS3 test. The parametric analysis shows that the ensemble ANN model has reliable stability. Future studies are recommended to expand the database with more material variety and loading conditions for model verification.

Moisture Stability of Hard Sandstone Asphalt Mixture Based on APT with MMLS3

To evaluate the moisture stability of a hard sandstone asphalt mixture, a testing section of a hard sandstone asphalt mixture was prepared in the laboratory. The accelerated pavement testing (APT) with the one-third-scale model mobile load simulator (MMLS3) was conducted in this testing section under temperature and water-coupled conditions. As the APT number increased, the elastic modulus of the hard sandstone asphalt mixture pavement gradually decreased. The average elastic modulus was 22.99 GPa after 160000 APT cycles. The bulk specific density of the sample rolled by the MMLS3 increased, and the residual indirect tensile strength ratio was 88.7%. Therefore, the hard sandstone asphalt mixture had good resistance to moisture damage, and hard sandstone aggregates can be used in a hot mix of asphalt.

Performance Assessment and Comparison of Two Piezoelectric Energy Harvesters Developed for Pavement Application: Case Study

To advance the development of piezoelectric energy harvesters, this study designed and manufactured bridge-unit-based and pile-unit-based piezoelectric devices. An indoor material testing system and accelerated pavement test equipment were used to test the electrical performance, mechanical performance, and electromechanical coupling performance of the devices. The results showed that the elastic modulus of the pile structure device was relatively higher than that of the bridge structure device. However, the elastic modulus of the two devices should be improved to avoid attenuation in the service performance and fatigue life caused by the stiffness difference. Furthermore, the electromechanical conversion coefficients of the two devices were smaller than 10% and insensitive to the load magnitude and load frequency. Moreover, the two devices can harvest 3.4 mW and 2.6 mW under the wheel load simulated by the one-third scale model mobile load simulator, thus meeting the supply requirements of low-power sensors. The elastic modulus, electromechanical conversion coefficients, and electric performance of the pile structure device were more reliable than those of the bridge structure device, indicating a better application prospect in road engineering.

Effectiveness of the shear strength ratio as an indicator of moisture susceptibility of asphalt mixtures

In this study, the use of shear strength ratio (SSR) in analysing asphalt mixture’s susceptibility to moisture was investigated and verified. Three surface and two base mixtures were considered for the asphalt mixture to be tested. Indirect tensile and uniaxial compressive strength tests were conducted in the laboratory to obtain the mixtures’ shear properties. The SSR in the asphalt concrete (AC) layer was determined for six types of pavement structure with varying asphalt thicknesses. Even though the results of SSR agree with the result of tensile strength ratio (TSR) for the two base mixtures, the SSR values of the three surface mixtures are significantly different while the TSR values are similar, thus, SSR is more sensitive to moisture effect than TSR. Furthermore, the Model Mobile Load Simulator (MMLS3) was conducted on different types of compacted slabs. It was found that the results of MMLS3 and SSR show a good correlation for both surface and base mixtures. This proves the effectiveness of SSR as an indicator for evaluating the moisture susceptibility of asphalt mixtures for the entire AC layer.

Snow-melting pavement design strategy with electric cable heating system balancing snow melting, energy conservation, and mechanical performance

Electric cable heating (ECH) system is a promising pavement snow-melting technology. However, the long-term operation of such systems entails considerable energy consumption, and results in energy waste and high economic cost. Relevant studies lack design strategies that simultaneously ensure optimal energy conservation, snow-melting performance, and mechanical performance of ECH systems. Moreover, the long-term performance of this pavement remains to be verified. Therefore, this study investigated comprehensive energy conservation design strategies for ECH systems. The effects of various parameters on an ECH system's snow-melting, energy consumption, and mechanical response were investigated using the finite element method. On the basis of the simulation results, a recommended design strategy was proposed which can conserve energy and ensure the system's snow-melting function and long-term structural safety. With this strategy, an ECH system was designed and constructed. The calculation results demonstrate that this strategy can reduce energy waste significantly while ensuring the snow-melting function. Moreover, in a field experiment, a one-third scale model mobile load simulator was adopted. After continuous loading 400,000 times, the average rutting depths of all test sections were less than 3 mm, which verified the long-term mechanical performance of the ECH system designed using the developed strategy.

Developing cold-mixed epoxy resin-based ultra-thin antiskid surface layer for steel bridge deck pavement

To improve the skid resistance of epoxy asphalt-based concrete (EAC) pavement, a cold-mixed ultra-thin antiskid surface layer (UTASS) was developed and incorporated into the EAC pavement in this study. The performances of four types of epoxy resin-based binders were assessed. The best binder type was selected and UTASS preparation procedures were determined. Subsequently, the skid resistance, high-temperature rutting resistance, low temperature cracking resistance, and interlayer bonding properties of the EAC-UTASS composite structure (with the UTASS on the top of the EAC) were evaluated using a series of tests, and the performances of EAC-UTASS were compared with several other composite structures that are commonly used in the steel bridge deck pavement (SBDP) in China. The results showed that the texture depth of EAC-UTASS is almost 10 times of that of the pavement composite structures with an EAC surfacing structure. In addition, EAC-UTASS has excellent high-temperature rutting resistance, low-temperature cracking resistance and interlayer bonding stability. Finally, a stripping resistance test was utilized to evaluate the UTASS based on a third-scale Model Mobile Loading Simulator (MMLS3). The service life of UTASS was determined based on the anti-stripping coefficient threshold value of 80%. Based on the results in this study, the use of the UTASS was found to be a feasible strategy for enhancing the skid resistance of EAC pavement.

Evaluation of Cost-Effective Modified Binder Thin Chip and Cape Seal Surfacings on an Anionic Nano-Modified Emulsion (NME)-Stabilised Base Layer Using Accelerated Pavement Testing (APT)

Emulsion stabilisation of base layers surfaced with chip seals often proves problematic, with chips punching into the base and early distress. This can be aggravated by the use of modified binders that restricts the evaporation of moisture from pavement layers. The introduction of new-age (nano)-modified emulsion (NME) stabilisation has the advantage that water is chemically repelled from the stabilised layer, resulting in an accelerated development of strength. A need was identified to evaluate the early-life performance of selected chip and Cape seals, together with identified modified binders on anionic NME-stabilised base layers constructed with materials traditionally classified as unsuitable, using archaic empirically derived tests. Three different chip seal surfacings with unconventional modified binders were constructed and evaluated using accelerated pavement testing (APT) with the Model Mobile Load Simulator—3rd model (MMLS3). The objectives of the experimental design and testing were to evaluate the binder performance, chip seal performance in terms of early loss of chips before chip orientation, punching of the chips into the anionic NME-stabilised base and deformation characteristics of a Cape seal that was hand-laid using an anionic NME slurry without any cement filler. It was shown that that chip seal surfacings can be used at low risk, on a base layer containing materials with fines exceeding 22%. The selection of specific modified binders can reduce risks associated with chip seal surfacings, which can impact construction limitations. The recommended use of elastomer-modified binders on newly constructed or rehabilitated layers, resulting in moisture entrapment, needs to be reconsidered.

Mechanical response of hydronic asphalt pavement under temperature–vehicle coupled load: A finite element simulation and accelerated pavement testing study

Hydronic asphalt pavement (HAP) is an environmentally friendly functional pavement. It has an energy-harvesting function and can emit energy to melt snow in winter. However, the mechanical response characteristics, especially under vehicle-temperature coupled load, and long-term performance of HAP systems remain under-investigated. Motivated by this absence of research, the mechanical response of HAP under vehicle–temperature coupled loading was analyzed using the finite element method. Results indicated that concrete between adjacent pipes bears large tensile stress. Mechanical damage, therefore, is likely to occur in those areas. The effects of parameters, like pipe spacing, embedded depth, inlet fluid temperature, and air temperature, on mechanical response were also studied to determine a more optimized pavement structure. The study conclusions can provide a theoretical basis for universal application and standardized design method of HAP. Furthermore, in-situ testing sections of the aforementioned optimized HAP structure were constructed and their rutting performance was evaluated using the one-third-scale model mobile load simulator (MMLS3) to verify whether its long-term performance can meet the requirements for road durability. Results indicated that the average rutting depth of the HAP structure after 400,000 consecutive loadings was less than 1 mm, which is significantly less than that of the control section without pipes. The pipes in HAP not only enable the conventional pavement to harvest energy and melt snow but also can enhance the rutting resistance performance of the pavement to a certain extent.

Performance Evaluation of Fiber-Reinforced, Stress Relief Asphalt Layers to Suppress Reflective Cracks

In this study, the performance of the fiber-reinforced, stress-absorbing membrane interlayer (F-SAMI) method was evaluated to suppress reflective cracks, which usually occur when the overlay method is applied for the maintenance of existing aged pavement. The F-SAMI method has an effect of suppressing the occurrence of reflective cracks by constructing a material composed of emulsified asphalt, fibers, and aggregates between the surface layer and the base layer. The mechanical performance of the F-SAMI was evaluated through both small-scale (model mobile load simulator 3, or MMLS3) and large-scale (accelerated pavement testing, or APT) pavement acceleration tests on the specimen and pavement structures, respectively, with the F-SAMI layer applied between the surface layer and the base layer. In this study, the base layer was made with an asphalt mixture or a concrete mixture, and the surface layer was made with polymer-modified stone mastic asphalt (PSMA). Evaluation was conducted by applying four types of F-SAMI layer, according to the content of asphalt and aggregate and compared with the case where general tack coating was applied. In order to induce the occurrence of reflective cracks, a notch was made in the center of the base layer. As a result of the experiment, it was shown that regardless of the mixture type of the base layer, the specimen or pavement with the F-SAMI method was much more resistant to reflective cracking than those with the tack coating. In addition, it was found that the F-SAMI method with aggregates was more resistant to reflective cracks than that without aggregates.

Development of fatigue damage model of asphalt mixtures based on small-scale accelerated pavement test

As the primary surface type for high-grade Chinese highways, the long-term performance of asphalt pavement can affect significantly transportation efficiency. It has been confirmed that fatigue cracking is one of the major failure modes for asphalt pavement, which can cause a great reduction of asphalt pavement durability. Currently, the fatigue properties of asphalt mixtures are evaluated mainly based on traditional laboratory fatigue tests, such as bending fatigue tests and indirect tensile fatigue tests. However, none of these fatigue test methods can realistically evaluate the fatigue performance of asphalt pavement under the repeated wheel load. To resolve this issue, the model mobile load simulator (MMLS3), which is a small-scale accelerated pavement test device, was utilized to evaluate the fatigue life of six kinds of asphalt mixtures. The fatigue damage variable was defined as stiffness reduction. Based on the small-scale accelerated pavement test, a stiffness reduction model for asphalt mixtures was determined. A stiffness reduction law for asphalt mixtures during the fatigue process was proposed. The stiffness evolution process could be divided into three phases, which are the adaptation phase, the quasi-stationary phase, and the failure phase. A maximum value of the rate of stiffness reduction from the quasi-stationary phase into the failure phase was proposed as the failure threshold. Besides the fatigue life obtained from the failure criteria had a good agreement with the test results. The results from this research can be used as a theoretical reference for evaluating the fatigue life of asphalt mixtures and improving the durability of asphalt pavement.

Evaluation of effectiveness of geotextile in reducing subgrade migration in rigid pavement

Pumping in rigid pavements is defined as the migration of subgrade soil into the overlying layers, redistribution of materials under the slabs, and ejection of materials through joints. Pumping can compromise pavement performance. This study evaluated geotextiles as separation and filtration solutions to mitigate pumping and reduce the resulting pavement joint faulting. A one-third scale Model Mobile Load Simulator (MMLS3) was used to simulate cyclic loading on a scaled rigid highway pavement that has experienced some loss of load transfer. The results from four tests were compared to assess the effectiveness of geotextile in reducing pumping. The four experiments had identical configurations, except that a geotextile was placed at the subgrade-subbase interface in two tests. Non-plastic saturated silt and partially saturated aggregate were used as the subgrade and subbase, respectively. Using a geotextile at the subgrade-subbase interface substantially reduced pumping. More fines accumulated in the subbase beneath the approach slab than the leave slab, which resulted in faulting of the slabs. However, the magnitude of this faulting was more pronounced for the cases without geotextile. Reductions of 71% and 52% occurred in the magnitude of subgrade migration and faulting, respectively, when using geotextile. To conclude, geotextile can be effective in mitigating pumping, leading to longer-lasting pavement systems.

Mechanical Evaluation of Concrete Bridge Deck Pavement Systems

Abstract Asphalt pavement systems for concrete bridge decks must not only comply with requirements from traffic and environmental exposure but also provide protection of the concrete structures against corrosive attacks from water or deicing agents. These multifunctional expectations are major challenges not only from the material side but also from the experimental side as to the evaluation of the right test methods for assessing the mechanical behavior of the whole multilayer pavement system. In this article, the results of a research project comparing different asphalt pavement systems for alpine regions are presented. These systems consist of hot rolled and mastic asphalt for wearing and protection layers placed on waterproofing systems with polymer bitumen sheets, liquid polymer, and mastic asphalt. The study revealed both the mechanical differences between the different systems and the weaknesses or strengths of different mechanical tests, clearly demonstrating that one has to be careful in interpreting seemingly contradictory results of different test methods. In particular, it was interesting to see that the rutting assessment for some systems differs between cyclic compression tests and rutting tests conducted with a model mobile load simulator.

Influence of the Skid Resistance of Ultrathin Wearing Course with Various Types of Asphalt Binders

Ultrathin wearing course (UTWC) has been widely applied in both asphalt pavements preventive maintenance and functional overlay. This study’s objective is to evaluate the influence of different modified asphalt binders with warm mix additives on the skid resistance of UTWC and to reveal the attenuation law of skid resistance of UTWC. Three types of modified asphalt binders (Styrene‐Butadiene‐Styrene‐ (SBS‐) modified asphalt, Acrylester Rubber‐ (AR‐) modified asphalt, and SinoTPS‐modified asphalt) and sasobit warm mix asphalt additive were selected to prepare asphalt mixtures. The Model Mobile Load Simulator 3 (MMLS3) was used to simulate repeated vehicle loading and abrasion. The British Pendulum Number (BPN) and Mean Texture Depth (MTD) were chosen to evaluate the skid resistance of the UTWC. The Analysis of Range (ANOR) and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used to verify the significance of asphalt binder on the antiskid performance of the UTWC. ANOR and ANOVA show that the influence of different modified asphalt binders on the skid resistance of the UTWC is significant. The SinoTPS modified asphalt mixture can maintain high texture roughness before and after abrasion, providing excellent and durable skid resistance. The influence of the addition of a warm mixing additive on the skid resistance of UTWC is not significant, and changes in microtexture mainly reflect its impact on antiskid performance. The decay curve of three modified asphalt binders of the skid resistance of the UTWC can be well fitted into an exponential function. The conclusion will play an essential role in selecting the asphalt binder in a UTWC to improve the antiskid performance.

Performance-based design of 100% recycled hot-mix asphalt and validation using traffic load simulator

Abstract This paper reports a comprehensive study on application of performance-based design method for design of 100% recycled asphalt wearing course mixture and demonstrates the performance of the optimum composition from mechanical, traffic safety and environmental points of view. An AC8 type mixture was designed by balancing performance in rutting using French rut tester and cracking using semi-circular bend test. Five iterations of different grading and binder content combinations of 100% RAP mixture were tested before achieving the same performance as a traditional AC8 mixture. This optimum mixture design was then validated by producing asphalt slabs for testing using a Model Mobile Load Simulator (MMLS3). Digital image correlation results of the wheel loading demonstrated that performance-optimized 100% recycled asphalt can sustain 2.5 times more load applications compared to the traditional mixture before cracking. This wearing course recycled asphalt mixture was then tested for skid resistance and particle abrasion due to rolling tires and achieved similar results to the reference mixture. The research allows concluding that the proposed mixture design approach can be successfully applied for designing 100% recycled asphalt mixtures that perform similar or better than traditional wearing course asphalt mixtures in all key domains and are safe to the traffic and the environment.