Influences of Aging History on Low Temperature Performance of Asphalt Concrete

Abstract

According to three-point bending test, this paper explores the influence of low temperature on the flexural strength, the tensile strain and bending stiffness modulus of the aged Stone Mastic Asphalt (SMA-13) concrete. The asphalt mixtures are aged according to the short-term aging (at 135°C, 4 hours), and long-term aging (asphalt concrete at 85°C, 120 hours) and natural aging (3 months, 6 months and 9 months). The result shows that, with the same loading rate, the tensile strain of specimens at -30°C are smaller than those at -10°C; but when temperature is certain, the tensile strain of specimens lager than those of aged specimens. The longer the aging time lasts, the more flexural strength differences between high and low temperatures can be found. A pretty well index variation can be found between the tensile strain and temperature. The same trend also appears between the bending stiffness modulus and temperature of SMA-13 asphalt concrete.

Study on the Fatigue Property for Aged Asphalt Mixtures by Using Four Point Bending Tests

“…All the effects of these factors are leading to a trend towards increased pavement deterioration, including fatigue and aging, resulting in increased costs to maintain asphalt pavement to an adequate level. Therefore, the need to predict the remaining life of asphalt pavements and the design of new pavements to withstand heavier traffic loading with new axle and suspension configurations require knowledge of the critical strain levels asphalt mixture [3]. This knowledge includes the aging properties of the materials as well as the fatigue characteristics of asphalt mixtures.…”