Comparative study on asphalt pavement rut based on analytical models and test data

ABSTRACT

Asphalt pavement rut influences the durability of the pavement as well as traffic safety. The influence of a flexible and a semi-rigid base on asphalt pavement rut has not been researched in detail. Using theoretical and experimental research on asphalt pavement rut, the objective of this project is to determine the differences in asphalt pavement rut for different base types and the influence of the base on the pavement’s performance. The research details include an analysis of asphalt pavement rut for different base conditions using ABAQUS FEA software, an indoor rut test, and actual engineering data. For rut of asphalt surface and base(Surface and base rut means the total deformation of asphalt surface layer and base.), semi-rigid base asphalt pavement is less than flexible base asphalt pavement, but for rut of surface(Rut of surface means the deformation of asphalt surface), flexible base asphalt pavement is less than semi-rigid base asphalt pavement. This demonstrates a greater durability of asphalt pavement with a flexible base compared to a semi-rigid base. The research results provide reference values for asphalt pavement design and the described applications have economic and social benefits.

KEYWORDS:

• Asphalt pavement
• flexible and semi-rigid base
• rut
• ABAQUS FEA software
• comparative analysis

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully appreciate the support from the province’s key road laboratory at Northeast Forestry University and the foundations for the project of Heilongjiang Traffic and Transportation Department.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The authors gratefully appreciate the support from the province’s key road laboratory at Northeast Forestry University and the foundations for the project of Heilongjiang Traffic and Transportation Department.