Research on Mechanical Response of Asphalt Pavement Using High-Modulus Asphalt Mixture

To investigate the effect of high modulus asphalt mixture on the mechanical response of different asphalt layers, this paper selected three high-modulus asphalt mixtures, BBME-13, EME-16, and EME-20, respectively. The method for calculating the mechanical response is the finite element method. The selected mechanical indicators are the maximum shear stress in the asphalt layer, the maximum tensile stress of the semi-rigid base, and deflection. Based on the results, this study recommends two different structures: STR-01 and STR-04, where STR-01 adopts high-modulus asphalt mixtures for the entire layer of the asphalt layer, and STR-04 adopts high-modulus mixtures for the middle and lower layers. With regard to rutting performance, the optimal asphalt layer thickness of STR-01 and STR-04 is 15 cm. For the other performances, the thickness is 32 cm. Therefore, the thickness of the asphalt layer should be determined based on careful consideration of total cost and local climatic conditions.