Micromechanical modeling of asphalt mixtures for the design of flexible pavements

Fernando OSCAR MARTÍNEZ
Doctor en Ingeniería
Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Ingeniería y Agrimensura
National University of Rosario 
(S2000BTP Rosario - Argentina)

ABSTRACT

The dynamic modulus of asphalt mixtures is a fundamental property used as input data in the modern pavement design methods based on empirical-mechanistic principles. In order to have reliable results to be introduced in these calculation procedures, different estimation models have been developed based on the volumetric and asphalt properties used in their formulation. This paper presents the development and calibration of a rational model for the estimation of the dynamic modulus of asphalt mixtures using the micromechanical concepts for a multiple spherical model based on the premises of its relative simplicity, conceptually according to the applied mechanics principles, with a number of reduced empirical adjustment factors and using the experimental information resulting from conventional tests. This developed model produces results with enough accuracy to be applied in empirical-mechanistic pavement design procedures.

KEYWORDS

Dynamic modulus, Micromechanical, Estimation models.