Evaluation of Long-Term Performance of Stone Matrix Asphalt in Washington State
Publication: Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities
Volume 31, Issue 1
Abstract
Stone mastic asphalt (SMA) has been used for decades to extend the life of asphalt pavements, especially in terms of rutting resistance. However, its performance and cost-effectiveness have been debated. This study evaluates the long-term performance of an SMA pavement and its control hot-mix asphalt (HMA) pavement in eastern Washington State. The field performance of the SMA pavement and HMA control pavement was evaluated based on the data in a pavement management system and site visits. Field cores were extracted from both the SMA and HMA pavements and subjected to indirect tension (IDT) dynamic modulus tests, creep compliance tests, studded tire wear resistance tests, and intermediate and low temperature IDT fracture tests in the laboratory. SMA and HMA asphalt binders also were extracted, recovered, and subjected to performance grading, multiple stress and creep recovery tests, and monotonic tests. This study found that in the field, the SMA pavement outperformed the HMA pavement in terms of rutting and cracking resistance. Results of the laboratory tests of the field cores verified that the SMA material performed better than the control HMA material in terms of top-down, bottom-up, and thermal cracking resistance. Results of the recovered binder tests showed that the SMA mixture exhibited less aging than the HMA control mixture and that the recovered SMA binder provided better rutting, fatigue, and thermal cracking resistance than the HMA binder. Therefore, SMA pavements, when designed and constructed properly, are a viable solution for prolonging the life of asphalt pavement.
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Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) for sponsoring this study and their assistance in collecting the field cores and conducting field survey for this study. Thanks also go to the Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium (PacTrans) for cosponsoring this study.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities
Volume 31 • Issue 1 • February 2017
Copyright
© 2016 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jan 21, 2016
Accepted: May 5, 2016
Published online: Jul 11, 2016
Discussion open until: Dec 11, 2016
Published in print: Feb 1, 2017
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