Loaded Wheel Testers in the United States: State of the Practice.

摘要

Permanent deformation, or rutting, in hot mix asphalt (HMA) pavements has been and continues to be a major problem in the United States. Rutting is defined as the accumulation of small amounts of unrecoverable strain resulting from applied wheel loads to HMA pavement. This deformation is caused by consolidation or lateral movement, or both, of the HMA under traffic. Shear failure (lateral movement) in a HMA pavement generally occurs in the top 100 mm (4 in) of the HMA structure. Rutting not only decreases the useful life of a pavement but also creates a safety hazard for the traveling public. In recent years, the potential for rutting on the nation's highways has increased due to higher traffic volumes and the increased use of radial tires that typically exhibit higher inflation pressures. A standardized laboratory equipment and test procedure that predicts field-rutting potential would be of great benefit to the HMA industry. Currently, the most common type of laboratory equipment of this nature is a loaded wheel tester (LWT).