An evaluation of warm-mix asphalt performance using accelerated pavement testing in Korea

As part of the research to evaluate the Warm-Mix Asphalt (WMA) performance for use in Korea, an extensive testing program has been conducted on the warm-mix asphalt technology that is newly developed in Korea, along with Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA). This research program consists of Accelerated Pavement Test (APT) and laboratory test. This paper presents the rutting and fatigue performance test results of both WMA and HMA. The rut development due to trafficking loading was evaluated using APT with 8.2 ton loading at 40°C temperature. The transverse profile was measured periodically at each point per test section as a function of mixture types. In order to investigate the fatigue performance, APT applied trafficking loading under wet and dry condition. The very stiff base is likely to complicate the planned fatigue cracking test, in that a huge number of APT repetitions will be generally required before any distress occurs. In this study, therefore, the fatigue test was conducted at 20°C with adding water into the aggregate base layer to accelerate the distress after the given trafficking loading. Cores were taken to be tested in the laboratory after construction of the test track as well as after completion of APT testing on and off the wheel path. The air voids were measured for all cores and dynamic modulus test and fatigue test in indirect testing mode were conducted. Based on the limited data obtained from this study, it is concluded that WMA mixture performs comparable to HMA mixture in terms of rutting and fatigue resistance.