Multi-faceted investigation of the effect of de-icer chemicals on the engineering properties of asphalt concrete

Certain engineering properties of asphalt concrete (AC) exposed to pure water and different salt concentrations were investigated both statistically and experimentally with destructive and non-destructive methods. According to the technical specifications of the General Directorate for Turkish Highways, AC samples for wearing layer were produced in laboratory conditions. Corrosive environments were created with pure water and using 1, 3, and 4 M sodium chloride (NaCl), and 1 M calcium chloride (CaCl2). The numbers of 7 AC samples were prepared as reference sample, and 7 AC samples were also prepared for each corrosive environment, so that the number of total prepared AC samples is 42. Certain physical properties of the entire AC samples including reference samples were investigated before the corrosive process. After determining the physical properties of the reference AC samples, Marshall stability (MS) tests were performed and the flow values of the samples were measured at the same time. The other AC samples, except for the reference AC samples, were exposed to these corrosive environments. After completing the experimental test procedure, the obtained data were compared with the references data of the AC samples for each corrosive environment. According to the results of the experimental test; the most important effects on the MS of the AC samples occurred in pure water environment with 15.47% MS lost. The other corrosive environment affects 4 M NaCl with 13.70% MS lost, 3 M NaCl with 11.22%, and 1 M NaCl with 10.28%, respectively. The least effect on the MS of the AC samples occurred in the 1 M CaCl2 with 1.42% MS lost. The relationships between the physical and mechanical properties of the entire AC samples were investigated in detail and the meaningfulness of the entire relationships was determined by using statistical methods for each de-icer material. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.