"TRB's National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Report 763: Evaluation of the Moisture Susceptibility of WMA Technologies presents proposed guidelines for identifying potential moisture susceptibility in warm mix asphalt (WMA). The report also suggests potential revisions to the Appendix to AASHTO R 35, "Special Mixture Design Considerations and Methods for WMA" as a means to implement the guidelines."--publisher's description

Economic, environmental and engineering benefits promote the rapid implementation of WMA technologies. However, concerns remain based on changes in the production process that may lead to moisture susceptibility in the early life as compared to HMA. To evaluate WMA moisture susceptibility during this critical period, standard laboratory tests were used for three field projects each with an HMA control mixtures and multiple WMA mixtures. Different specimen types were also evaluated to capture differences in mix design, quality control/quality assurance, and field performance. Specimens were evaluated for moisture susceptibility by Indirect Tensile (IDT) Strength, Resilient Modulus (MR) and Hamburg Wheel-Track Testing (HWTT). Specimens for IDT and MR were tested dry and then tested wet after conditioning as described in AASHTO T283 with one freeze-thaw cycle. HWTT was used to assess both moisture susceptibility and rutting potential under repeated loads in the presence of water at elevated temperatures (i.e., 122°F [50°C]), and the output parameters used for evaluation were the calculated Stripping Inflection Point (SIP) and the rut depth at 5000 load cycles. Based on the results of the laboratory tests performed on PMFC cores acquired at construction and with time, WMA during its early life exhibited inferior moisture resistance when compared to HMA. However, with time, specifically after one summer, the dry and wet properties of WMA became equivalent to those of HMA. For WMA constructed in the fall, the results from this study suggest that the inclusion of recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) or an anti-stripping agent may alleviate possible moisture susceptibility issues in the early life during wet, winter weather conditions. While some laboratory test results demonstrated that WMA is more moisture susceptible than HMA, field performance reported to date from the three projects used in this study shows no evidence of moisture damage. Therefore the search for a laboratory test to screen mixtures for moisture susceptibility continues. An alternative approach, applying Griffith crack growth theory and utilizing IDT, MR and air voids% the adhesive bond energy of asphalt mixtures was calculated for Texas field project. This value holds promise for characterizing performance of asphalt mixtures by considering basic properties and grouping into one representative value. The electronic version of this dissertation is accessible from http://hdl.handle.net/1969.1/149392

This research project utilized laboratory evaluations to study effects of freeze-thaw cycling on the tensile strength of eight Hot Mix Asphalt mixtures and to determine if the Georgia Loaded Wheel Tester could be utilized to measure moisture susceptibility of Hot Mix Asphalt mixtures. The evaluation involved eight Hot Mix Asphalt mixtures from combinations of two aggregate types and four asphalt-additive-aging possibilities. Laboratory testing was accomplished in the first phase with the production of 2.5 by 4 inch cores that were freeze-thaw cycled and tested for their indirect tensile strength following Wyoming modified AASHTO T283. The second phase was accomplished using 3 by 6 inch cores that were conditioned and tested for rutting using the Georgia Loaded Wheel Tester. Finally, a statistical analysis was performed to determine if performance of the various mixtures was significantly different in groups of asphalt types and to determine if the Georgia Loaded Wheel Tester was a viable measurement tool for moisture susceptibility.

Abstract: The presence of moisture can lead to serious damage in Hot Mix Asphalt mixes and failures of HMA pavements. This is of an even greater concern for Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA) due to the use of much lower production temperatures which may not be high enough to completely dry the aggregates. In this Maine DOT study, the use of fracture energy parameters was evaluated to determine the influence of incomplete drying of mixes on their mechanical properties. Fracture energy based parameters (ER: energy ratio; RER: ratio of energy ratio) were determined from the following indirect tensile testing on mixes with fully and partially dried aggregates, some of which were subjected to moisture conditioning: Resilient modulus (Mr), creep compliance, and indirect tensile strength (ITS) strength at 5°C. The results indicate that: i. resilient modulus, creep compliance, and indirect tensile strength were all affected by the presence of moisture in mixes; ii. the trend and degree of influence by moisture for the different mechanical parameters are different; iii. The moisture conditioning process has caused larger decreases in resilient modulus and ITS values than incomplete drying of aggregates; however, the same moisture conditioning process has caused much larger decreases in modulus and ITS in asphalt mixes prepared with incompletely dried aggregates than the counterparts prepared with fully dried aggregates; and iv. fracture energy-based parameters (ER and RER) appear to be more distinctive moisture effect/damage indicators than the other parameters.

Explores whether combining the environmental conditioning system with the simple performance test would provide a superior procedure for determining the moisture susceptibility of hot-mix asphalt (HMA).

It has been extensively documented since the late 1970's that moisture damage occurs in hot mix asphalt (HMA) pavements. A variety of test methods are available that test an HMA's ability to resist moisture sensitivity. There are also some test methods that look at an asphalt binder's moisture susceptibility. The current test method for detecting moisture sensitivity in HMA is American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) T283: Resistance of Compacted Bituminous Mixture to Moisture-Induced Damage. Inclusion of this test method in Superpave did not consider the change in specimen size from 100mm to 150mm nor difference in compaction method. The procedures in AASHTO T283 consider the loss of strength due to freeze/thaw cycling and the effects of moisture existing in specimens compared to unconditional specimens. However, mixtures do not experience such a pure phenomenon. Pavements undergo cycling of environmental conditions, but when moisture is present, there is repeated hydraulic loading with the development of pore pressure in mixtures. Thus, AASHTO T283 does not consider the effect of pore pressure, but rather considers a single load effect on environmentally conditioned specimens. This report develops moisture susceptibility procedures which would utilize repeated loading test devices (dynamic modulus or asphalt pavement analyzer) of specimens in saturated conditions and be compared to unconditioned specimens in a dry test environment. In addition to HMA mixture testing, a modified dynamic shear rheometer will be used to determine if an asphalt binder or mastic is moisture susceptible. Moisture susceptible criteria was developed using the dynamic complex modulus, asphalt pavement analyzer, and dynamic shear rheometer. Evaluation of AASHTO T283 for 150mm Superpave Gyrtaory compacted specimens is also detailed in this report along with a new criterion.