Case Study: Superpave Behavior on Experimental Testing Road Segments in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil

During the construction of the BR-419-MS road, an experimental testing segment had been executed where the pavement was designed and executed by Superpave method, whose structure contained the following layer thickness: 6.0 cm of asphalt surface, 20.0 cm of soil-gravel with 3% of cement, and 20.0 cm of sub-base soil-gravel with 6% cement. This structure was designed using the Brazilian new pavement design method named MeDiNa, which determined the following results after 10 years of pavement use: a cracked area in 16.1% and 2.3 mm of wheel track sag. The objective of this study is to present the methodologies used in laboratory tests for the first stage of experimental testing road segments, compare the performance of asphalt designed using the Superpave method, and compare the results with pavement behavior on the field. The laboratory tests were developed by the Transport Laboratory of the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, and the experimental road testing segment will be evaluated in the place and experimentally, analyzing the criteria of cracks and fissures and for signs of wear and fatigue. The empirical-mechanistic studies considered for evaluation consist of permanent deformation, fatigue, resilient modulus, and dynamic modulus tests. With these comparative data, it is possible to obtain a better understanding of paving designs performance, considering two innovative methodologies in Brazil: the Superpave asphalt mix design methodology and the MeDiNa method for designing pavements.