Experimental study on the resistance of asphalt mixtures to permanent deformation and its relation to mechanical behavior of pavement structures

• DOI: 10.1016/j.cscm.2025.e04248
• Publication Date: 2025-01-14T07:39:02Z
• Authors: Thanh Chung Do; Tan Hau Nguyen; Van Long Nguyen
• Keywords: Asphalt pavement

This study explores the impact of elastic modulus on the rut resistance of three distinct asphalt concrete (AC) mixtures and analyzes its relationship with the mechanical behavior of pavement structures concerning rutting performance. A static modulus test was performed on compacted specimens in the laboratory to determine the elastic modulus of the mixtures. The mechanistic evaluation of a given pavement structure was analyzed under varying contact pressures, asphalt thicknesses, and subgrade moduli. The results indicate that the polymer hot mix asphalt (PHMA) mix exhibited the highest elastic modulus value, followed by stone mastic asphalt (SMA) mix, and hot mix asphalt (HMA) mix. The maximal tensile strain in the AC layer occurs at a point 10 cm from the surface for all pavement structures. In addition, the pavement structure with the PHMA mix demonstrates approximately 10.6 % and 19.1 % higher rutting life than those with SMA and HMA mixes, respectively, regardless of the subgrade modulus. Furthermore, when the contact pressure falls below 690kPa, the rutting life of the pavement suddenly increases, regardless of the type of AC mixtures.