Bridging the gap between laboratory and field moduli of asphalt layer for pavement design and assessment: A comprehensive loading frequency-based approach

doi:10.1007/s11709-022-0811-7

Front. Struct. Civ. Eng.

2022, Vol. 16

Issue (3) : 267-280 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11709-022-0811-7

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Bridging the gap between laboratory and field moduli of asphalt layer for pavement design and assessment: A comprehensive loading frequency-based approach

Huailei CHENG^1,², Liping LIU¹, Lijun SUN¹(

)

¹. The Key Laboratory of Road and Traffic Engineering (Ministry of Education), Tongji University, Shanghai 201804, China
². Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, China

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Abstract

Asphalt pavement is a key component of highway infrastructures in China and worldwide. In asphalt pavement design and condition assessment, the modulus of the asphalt mixture layer is a crucial parameter. However, this parameter varies between the laboratory and field loading modes (i.e., loading frequency, compressive or tensile loading pattern), due to the viscoelastic property and composite structure of the asphalt mixture. The present study proposes a comprehensive frequency-based approach to correlate the asphalt layer moduli obtained under two field and three laboratory loading modes. The field modes are vehicular and falling weight deflectometer (FWD) loading modes, and the laboratory ones are uniaxial compressive (UC), indirect tensile (IDT), and four-point bending (4PB) loading modes. The loading frequency is used as an intermediary parameter for correlating the asphalt layer moduli under different loading modes. The observations made at two field large-scale experimental pavements facilitate the correlation analysis. It is found that the moduli obtained via laboratory 4PB tests are pretty close to those of vehicular loading schemes, in contrast to those derived in UC, IDT, and FWD modes, which need to be adjusted. The corresponding adjustment factors are experimentally assessed. The applications of those adjustment factors are expected to ensure that the moduli measured under different loading modes are appropriately used in asphalt mixture pavement design and assessment.

Keywords asphalt mixture layer stiffness modulus loading mode UC/4PB/IDT FWD frequency

Corresponding Author(s): Lijun SUN

Just Accepted Date: 24 February 2022 Online First Date: 22 April 2022 Issue Date: 31 May 2022

Cite this article:

Huailei CHENG,Liping LIU,Lijun SUN. Bridging the gap between laboratory and field moduli of asphalt layer for pavement design and assessment: A comprehensive loading frequency-based approach[J]. Front. Struct. Civ. Eng., 2022, 16(3): 267-280.

URL:

https://academic.hep.com.cn/fsce/EN/10.1007/s11709-022-0811-7
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fsce/EN/Y2022/V16/I3/267

Fig.1 The flowchart of back-calculating layer modulus from the FWD deflection basin.

Fig.2 Schematic diagram of the asphalt layer’s loading time corresponding to a single pass of vehicular loading.

Fig.3 The flowchart for constructing the asphalt layer’s modulus master curve.

Fig.4 Schematic diagrams for the (a) UC, (b) 4PB, and (c) IDT laboratory loading modes.

Fig.5 Schematic diagram of the loading pulse in laboratory modulus tests.

Fig.6 Schematic diagram of loading time of FWD loading pulse.

Fig.7 (a) The semi-rigid and (b) flexible pavement test section structures, and (c) the layout of strain gauges.

Tab.1 The asphalt binder properties

Tab.2 Properties of the AC-13 mixture

Fig.8 The aggregate gradation curve of the mix.

Fig.9 (a) The MLS66 and (b) Primax FWD test facilities.

Fig.10 The experimental setup and specimens used in laboratory test modes: (a) UC, (b) 4PB, and (c) IDT.

Tab.3 The deflections of semi-rigid and flexible pavements at different temperatures in FWD tests (0.01 mm)

Fig.11 The back-calculated asphalt layer moduli of the two pavements.

Fig.12 Comparison of the field-measured and theoretical deflection basins of (a) semi-rigid pavement and (b) flexible pavement.

Fig.13 Exemplary strain response pulses of (a) semi-rigid pavement and (b) flexible pavement.

Tab.4 Loading frequencies (Hz) and CoVs of the frequencies of two pavements under various vehicular speeds and pavement temperatures

Fig.14 (a) The overall view and (b) plan view of the FE pavement model (unit: mm).

Fig.15 The back-calculated moduli of asphalt layer of (a) semi-rigid pavement and (b) flexible pavement under vehicular load.

Fig.16 FEM-calculated and measured strains for semi-rigid and flexible pavements.

Fig.17 The fitted modulus master curve of the asphalt layer induced by the vehicular load.

Fig.18 The modulus master curves of asphalt mixture under UC, 4PB, and IDT modes.

Fig.19 The asphalt layer moduli under three loading modes in the frequency domain.

Fig.20 Adjustment factors of (a) UC and (b) IDT test moduli.

Tab.5 The modification factors of UC moduli and IDT moduli at several frequently used temperatures and frequencies

Fig.21 Comparison of asphalt layer moduli derived from modulus master curves with the actual moduli (the back-calculated moduli).

Fig.22 Adjustment factors of FWD moduli at different design temperatures and frequencies.

Tab.6 The modification factors of FWD moduli at several frequently used temperatures and frequencies

Fig.23 The correlations of asphalt layer moduli obtained via different conventional loading modes.

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