Characterization of Asphalt Materials Common to Michigan in Support of the Implementation of the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide

The Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (M-E PDG) is becoming the state-of-the-practice in both newly constructed and rehabilitated pavement designs. The M-E PDG utilizes semi-mechanistic and semi-empirical models to predict the distresses such as fatigue cracking, rutting and thermal cracking in asphalt pavements. In flexible (asphalt) pavement design, the most important required material input for the Level 1 analysis is the Dynamic Modulus (|E*|) master curve of asphalt mixtures. Whereas in Levels 2 and 3 analysis, predictive dynamic modulus equations are used to generate |E*| values. The main objective of the study presented in this paper was to develop analytical models to provide improved |E*| predictions of asphalt mixtures used in the State of Michigan. For this, the modified Witczak’s dynamic modulus predictive equation used in the M-E PDG was evaluated for asphalt mixtures commonly used in the State of Michigan. In total, 64 unique asphalt mixtures sampled from different projects in Michigan were characterized in this research. The study showed significant differences between laboratory measured and predicted |E*| values especially at the high temperature/low frequencies. Using the laboratory |E*| data collected in this study, the MATLAB software was used to calibrate the coefficients of the modified Witczak’s equation. The new coefficients were used in the |E*| predictive equation and showed improved predictions. In addition, an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model was developed and trained for Michigan asphalt mixtures to further improve the |E*| predictions.

Language

  • English

Media Info

  • Media Type: Digital/other
  • Features: Figures; References; Tables;
  • Pagination: 17p
  • Monograph Title: TRB 93rd Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers

Subject/Index Terms

Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 01518316
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Report/Paper Numbers: 14-3992
  • Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
  • Created Date: Mar 17 2014 4:18PM