Evaluating Rutting/Stripping Potentials of Asphalt Mixes Using Hamburg Wheel Tracking Device

University Transportation Centers Program2018PDFTech ReportTarefder, Rafiqul A.Hasan, Md MehediUniversity of New Mexico. School of Civil EngineeringSouthern Plains Transportation CenterUnited States. Department of Transportation. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and TechnologyUnited States. Department of Transportation. University Transportation Centers (UTC) ProgramSouthern Plains Transportation CenterUnited StatesAsphalt concreteAsphalt mixturesCreep testsEvaluation and assessmentLaboratory testsRuttingSpecificationsStripping (Pavements)Tensile strengthWarm mix paving mixturesMechanistic-empirical pavement designHamburg Wheel Tracking Device (HWTD)Tensile Strength Ratio (TSR)SPTC14.1-69DTRT13-G-UTC36Final Report February 2015 \u2013 June 2018A comprehensive study was conducted to evaluate the rutting and stripping potentials of asphalt mixes using Hamburg Wheel Tracking Device (HWTD). A total of forty-two asphalt concrete (AC) mixes, of which thirty-three were SP-III and nine were SP-IV, were collected from different construction sites in cooperation with the New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT). Cylindrical specimens were prepared in the laboratory using superpave gyratory compactor and the HWTD testing was conducted on the laboratory prepared specimens. The test results revealed that SP-IV mixes are less susceptible to rutting and stripping potentials compared to SP-III mixes. The binder grade, Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) content, and aggregate type have significant influences on the stripping and rutting performances. Tensile Strength Ratio (TSR) test was also conducted on the laboratory prepared specimen to measure the moisture damage of the AC mixes. No strong correlation was observed between TSR value and the stripping potentials of HWTD data. This research also investigated the effects of warm mix additives on the mixture\u2019s rutting performance by performing Multiple Stress-Creep Recovery (MSCR) tests on binders. The test results show that warm mix asphalt modification improves the rutting potential of the mixtures. Several pavement sections were analyzed by Pavement ME software using level 2 design inputs. The rut values obtained from ME analysis after twenty years of pavement design life were compared with that of HWTD test results. The ME analysis yields higher rut depth after 20 years of pavement service life compared to the laboratory measured value. Based on the HWTD laboratory test results, a detailed specification for rutting of SP-III and SP-IV mixes was developed to be implemented by the NMDOT during the mix design stage.136