Using the Bending Beam Rheometer for Low Temperature Testing of Asphalt Mixtures

This work showed that the bending beam rheometer (BBR) is a viable test to determine the low temperature performance of asphalt mixtures; it balances the rigor required of any mechanical test and the relation to field performance with the practicality of a procedure that can be easily adopted. The protocols developed parallel existing asphalt binder protocols thus allowing for easy implementation since they are based on robust and commercially available equipment that requires no modification. It was shown that the size of the beams used for this test are a representative volume element. Mixtures with nominal maximum aggregate size of ½” or even larger can be tested without large aggregates introducing any further variability. The size of the beams also allows for multiple specimens obtained from either gyratory compacted samples or field cores; agencies and contractors can test mixtures and compared results as the difference between two labs was determined to be less than 10 percent for the modulus and about 20 percent for the m-value. Finally, based on field performance measurements, it was determined that both creep modulus and m-value are needed to determine the low temperature performance of asphalt pavements. These values can be visually presented in a Black Space diagram. Mixtures with high modulus and low m-values are expected to show poor performance but mixtures with high modulus AND high m-value should have better performance, perhaps allowing for better performing asphalt mixtures at both low and high temperatures. The benefits found from using the BBR to test small beams of asphalt mixtures indicate that this is an ideal test to evaluate the low temperature performance of asphalt mixtures.

• Record URL:
  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qRTZfonLwY7UI4p4teMnFu2d80ohWm9D/view?usp=sharing
• 
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Utah, Salt Lake City

  Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  110 South Central Campus Drive, Room 2115
  Salt Lake City, UT  United States  84112

  Utah Department of Transportation

  4501 South 2700 West
  Salt Lake City, UT  United States  84114-8410

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Romero, Pedro
• Publication Date: 2016-7

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Appendices; Bibliography; Figures; Maps; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 107p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Asphalt mixtures; Field studies; Low temperature tests; Performance tests; Rheometers; Test procedures
• Subject Areas: Highways; Materials; Pavements;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01610896
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: UT-16.09
• Contract Numbers: 15-8542
• Files: TRIS, ATRI, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Sep 21 2016 2:40PM