This paper reports on the effects of differences in asphalt mixtures and asphalt layer thickness on the long-term performance and durability of pavements, based on long-term observation at a road in service.
The observation was performed at Bibi New Test Road, which consists of eight sections of differing pavement structure design. Traffic conditions, cracking, rutting, and surface smoothness have been measured each year for the 14 years.
The long-term road surface characteristics was found to differ by the type of asphalt materials and its thickness. The layers in which rutting deformation occurs (e.g., asphalt mixture layer, base course, subgrade) was found to differ according to the pavement configuration. Fatigue cracking, which is caused by vehicle loading, was also found to have occurred in the asphalt layers, and the time of occurrence was shown to differ according to asphalt type and thickness.
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