3-D Move Mechanistic Analysis and Cost Effectiveness of Asphalt Rubber and Polymer Modified Asphalt Pavement Under Various Axle Loading Conditions

Abstract

A variety of axle loading conditions can lead to different tensile strains in asphalt pavements. One way to increase resistance to these tensile strains is to add materials such as crumb rubber or polymers to the pavement mixture. Using three given asphalt pavement design mixtures, a 3D-Move mechanistic analysis was performed to determine the fatigue life of three given mixtures: unmodified reference, asphalt rubber, and polymer modified. These mixtures were tested under various axle loading conditions. This mechanistic analysis was then combined with a cost analysis which showed that despite the increase in cost, the asphalt rubber design mixture was the most cost-effective, with the polymer modified mixture finishing in second ahead of the unmodified reference mixture.

Keywords

• mechanistic analysis
• crumb rubber
• fatigue life
• cost-effectiveness
• load configurations