EFFECT OF MOISTURE ON BITUMINOUS PAVEMENT IN ROCKY MOUNTAIN AREAS

THE PAPER DEALS WITH PROBLEMS IN COLORADO, NEW MEXICO, UTAH AND WYOMING WHICH RESULT FROM THE PREFERENTIAL AFFINITY OF MANY COMMONLY AVAILABLE AGGREGATES IN THE AREA FOR WATER RATHER THAN FOR ASPHALT. THE RESULT IS EVIDENCED BY SURFACE RAVELING AND IN EXTREME CASES BY SOFTENING AND COMPLETE DISINTEGRATION OF THE BITUMINOUS PAVEMENT. THE CHARACTERISTIC IS COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS STRIPPING, MEANING THAT THE ASPHALT COATING COMES OFF THE AGGREGATE IN THE PRESENCE OF WATER AND IS REPLACED BY THE WATER. IT IS MORE PRONOUNCED WITH THE LIGHTER TYPES OF ASPHALTIC MATERIALS /SUCH AS CUTBACKS/ WHEN USED IN ROAD MIXES, AND HAS BEEN ONE OF THE PRINCIPAL REASONS FOR THE GENERAL REPLACEMENT OF ROAD MIXES BY HOT PLANT MIXES AND ASPHALTIC CONCRETE USING ASPHALTIC CEMENTS. EVEN WITH HIGHER TYPES OF PAVEMENTS THE PROBLEM IS COMMON ENOUGH AND SERIOUS ENOUGH TO REQUIRE THE GENERAL USE OF SEAL COATS, EITHER IMMEDIATELY OR AFTER A PERIOD OF SEVERAL YEARS. TYPES OF SEAL COATS USED ARE DESCRIBED. ANOTHER COMMON APPROACH TO THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN THE USE OF CHEMICAL ADDITIVES AND, MORE RECENTLY, HYDRATED LIME. THEIR EFFECT AND METHODS OF SPECIFYING AND USING ARE DESCRIBED. EARLY REALIZATION OF THE STRIPPING PROBLEM LED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE IMMERSION-COMPRESSION TEST /AASHO DESIGNATION T-165/ FOR MEASURING THE EFFECT OF WATER ON COMPACTED BITUMINOUS MIXTURES AND OF THE STATIC-IMMERSION TEST /AASHO DESIGNATION T-182/ FOR DETERMINING THE EFFECT OF WATER ON COATED COARSE AGGREGATE PARTICLES /AS USED IN SURFACE TREATMENT AND SEAL COATS/. THE PAPER IS NOT INTENDED TO BE A TECHNICAL ANALYSIS OF THE CHEMISTRY OR MECHANICS OF THE STRIPPING ACTION, NOR DOES IT PRESENT ANY GUARANTEED SOLUTIONS. IT DOES, HOWEVER, POINT UP THE EXTENT AND SERIOUSNESS OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE HOPE THAT IT WILL STIMULATE FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS AND RESEARCH LEADING TO MORE CONSISTENTLY WATER-RESISTANT PAVEMENTS. /AUTHOR/

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/hrr/1964/51/51-007.pdf
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Authors:
  • Eager, William L
• Discussers:
  • Olsen, Robert E
• Publication Date: 1964

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 100-111
• Monograph Title: Bituminous concrete mixtures and construction
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Record
  • Issue Number: 51
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Additives; Bituminous materials; Bituminous pavements; Calcium hydroxide; Chemicals; Compression tests; Moisture content; Seal coats; Static tests; Stripping (Pavements)
• Uncontrolled Terms: Water resistance
• Geographic Terms: Rocky Mountain States; Rocky Mountains
• Old TRIS Terms: Immersion compression test
• Subject Areas: Highways; Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00210269
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Dec 12 1994 12:00AM