Ontario's Strategy to Enhance Asphalt Cement Quality

The Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) has identified many instances of premature pavement cracking linked to asphalt content characteristics that are not currently distinguished by AASHTO M320 Performance Graded Asphalt Cement (PGAC) specifications. To better understand the problem, MTO funded research projects with Queen's University that led to the development of two new test methods to predict premature pavement cracking; the Extended Bending Beam Rheometer (ExBBR) test and the Double Edge Notched Test (DENT). These, along with the Multiple Stress Creep Recovery (MSCR) test, have been implemented to varying degrees across Ontario since 2009. In 2010, MTO developed a performance warranty specification to address asphalt pavement cracking. Contractors expressed concerns with the lack of experience purchasing asphalt cement to meet the specification. Discussions with the asphalt industry resulted in MTO incorporating and evaluating the three different strategies in over 30 projects in 2011 to give contractors practical experience with the different methods of specifying asphalt cements. This paper examines initial cracking performance of the test sections, and evaluates the relationship between field cracking and test results for ExBBR, DENT, and MSCR. Preliminary conclusions are drawn on the effectiveness of the chosen strategies in supporting contractor's selection of quality asphalt cement.

• Corporate Authors:

  Canadian Technical Asphalt Association

  ,   United States 
• Authors:
  • TABIB, S
  • Hoque, F
  • MARKS, P
• Conference:
  • Proceedings of the Sixtieth Annual Conference of the Canadian Technical Asphalt Association (CTAA): Winnipeg, Manitoba
• Publication Date: 2015

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Pagination: pp. 325-345.
• Monograph Title: Proceedings of the Sixtieth Annual Conference of the Canadian Technical Asphalt Association (CTAA): Ottawa, Ontario

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bituminous materials; Bituminous mixtures; Conferences; Cracking; Durability; Quality assurance; Standards; Test procedures; Test tracks
• Geographic Terms: Canada
• ITRD Terms: 4955: Bituminous materials; 4967: Bituminous mixture; 8018: Canada; 8525: Conference; 5211: Cracking; 5910: Durability; 9123: Quality assurance; 187: Specification (standard); 6288: Test method; 2789: Test track
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Highways; I22: Design of Pavements, Railways and Guideways; I31: Bituminous Binders and Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01591705
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transportation Association of Canada (TAC)
• Files: ITRD, TAC
• Created Date: Feb 26 2016 10:54AM