Effects of binder and aggregate properties on the permanent deformation of asphalt mixtures by means of uniaxial and triaxial tests

This paper evaluates the effects of asphalt binders and aggregate particles on the permanent deformation of asphalt mixtures. For that, Superpave PG, including MSCR, and AIMS 2 tests are performed with binders and aggregates, respectively, and their results are compared to those of uniaxial and triaxial tests of the corresponding asphalt mixtures. The triaxial tests also provide model inputs for pavement structural simulations using the FlexPAVE (TM) program. The results indicate that the characterization of the performance of binders and mixtures based on a single critical parameter, such as J(nr) and Flow Number, is not the most optimized strategy to rank materials. Instead, the consideration of key factors such as temperature and loading configuration should be pursued. In addition, the mixture should be preferably evaluated considering a broader analysis of the pavement performance rather than focusing solely on pass-fail testing criteria.

Automated summary

This paper evaluates the effects of asphalt binders and aggregate particles on the permanent deformation of asphalt mixtures, and proposes an optimized strategy for evaluating the performance of these materials.