Analysis of Asphalt Concrete Permeability Data Using Representative Pore Size
This article has been corrected.
VIEW CORRECTIONPublication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 23, Issue 2
Abstract
The permeability of asphalt concrete has been the subject of much study by pavement engineers over the last decade. The work undertaken has tended to focus on high air voids as the primary indicator of permeable asphalt concrete. This paper presents a simple approach for understanding the parameters that affect permeability. Principles explained by Taylor in 1956 in channel theory work for soils are used to derive a new parameter—representative pore size. Representative pore size is related to the air voids in the compacted mix and the of the asphalt mix grading curve. Collected Superpave permeability data from published literature and data collected by the writers at the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads is shown to be better correlated with representative pore size than air voids, reducing the scatter considerably. Using the database of collected field and laboratory permeability values an equation is proposed that pavement engineers can use to estimate the permeability of in-place pavements.
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Acknowledgments
The writers would like to thank the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads for providing the financial support for this paper. The views expressed in this paper are that of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the position of other entities. Thanks are also due to Mr. G.W. Maupin of the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) who provided the first writer his permeability data for analysis. Thanks are also due to Dr. S.K. Haigh of the University of Cambridge for his helpful review of the work.
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Information
Published In
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 23 • Issue 2 • February 2011
Pages: 169 - 176
Copyright
© 2011 ASCE.
History
Received: Aug 13, 2009
Accepted: Jun 25, 2010
Published online: Jul 10, 2010
Published in print: Feb 2011
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