Moon, Ki Hoon

This report summarizes lessons learned about the field performance of local roads containing Recycled Asphalt Pavement (RAP) and associated field and laboratory work with asphalt activation as well as the design and performance testing of high-RAP bituminous mixtures. Transverse cracking performance of Minnesota county highways averaging 20-26% RAP was improved when PG 52-34 binder was selected over PG 58-28 or other binder grades. Testing of the activation of RAP asphalt binder in plant and laboratory settings showed that coarse aggregates from plant mixing achieved a more uniform coating and were subjected to less abrasion than those from laboratory mixing. Low temperature testing of laboratory mixture designs containing up to 55% RAP, and new-to-total asphalt cement ratios as low as 43%, found that indirect tensile test (IDT) creep stiffness increased along with RAP content. IDT critical temperature results showed that the addition of RAP significantly increased the critical temperature, predicting less crack resistance. Semi-circular bend fracture testing showed that the addition of RAP lowered the fracture energy and increased the fracture toughness of the mixtures, and the highest RAP contents had the most reduced fracture performance.

The work detailed in this report represents a continuation of the research performed in phase one of this national pooled fund study. A number of significant contributions were made in phase two of this comprehensive research effort. Two fracture testing methods are proposed and specifications are developed for selecting mixtures based on fracture energy criteria. A draft SCB specification, that received approval by the ETG and has been taken to AASHTO committee of materials, is included in the report. In addition, alternative methods are proposed to obtain mixture creep compliance needed to calculate thermal stresses. Dilatometric measurements performed on asphalt mixtures are used to more accurately predict thermal stresses, and physical hardening effects are evaluated and an improved model is proposed to take these effects into account. In addition, two methods for obtaining asphalt binder fracture properties are summarized and discussed. A new thermal cracking model, called "ILLI-TC," is developed and validated. This model represents a significant step forward in accurately quantifying the cracking mechanism in pavements, compared to the existing TCMODEL. A comprehensive evaluation of the cyclic behavior of asphalt mixtures is presented, that may hold the key to developing cracking resistant mixtures under multiple cycles of temperature.

This report summarizes the experimental work performed on cores extracted from various cells at MnROAD to determine the air void content of the different asphalt mixtures used in these cells. Analysis of the data was not part of this study.

This report summarizes the results of an experimental effort to characterize the low-temperature behavior of asphalt mixtures and binders from the recently reconstructed cells at the MnROAD facility. In depth analysis of the data was not part of this study; this will be accomplished in several concurrent research projects.