Asphalt rubber concrete fabricated by the dry process: Laboratory assessment of resistance against reflection cracking

摘要

This research aimed to evaluate bituminous mixtures made with a high percentage of ultrafine-size rubber particles (Asphalt Rubber Concrete, ARC) using the dry process. Laboratory tests were performed on asphalt concrete samples with and without rubber addition to compare the results. The fatigue behavior (four-point bending tests on prismatic-shaped specimens), rutting resistance (wheel tracking tests on rectangular slabs), and evolution of crack propagation (induced cracks in prismatic-shaped and rectangular slabs) were evaluated. The results demonstrated that ARC obtained using the dry process showed better resistance to fatigue (at least 10 times more) and rutting (at least 2.5 times more). Slower crack propagation was also registered. These facts lead to the conclusion that ARC fabricated by the dry process is a good and sustainable option for pavement overlayers in road pavement rehabilitation. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.