Relationship between Rank of Laboratory Testing Results and Field Performance of Asphalt Interstate Pavement

Abstract

This study investigates the performance of multiple sections of the interstate system in Arkansas through the laboratory testing of 270 field cores taken from ten sections of I-30 and I-40. These roadway sections are defined by the state agency as good, medium, and poor performed sections based on the agency’s guidelines, experience, and judgment. This study intends to use the fundamental properties to define the pavement condition and support the agency to assess the pavement condition. Intentionally, this study proposes a method to determine the pavement condition of the interstates and aims to support the agency to make the decision of future preservation, maintenance, or rehabilitation. The air voids, fracture energy, dynamic modulus, and bond strength are evaluated with the field cores taken from the selected sections. A ranking method using the results of the laboratory tests is proposed to divide the interstate sections into three groups. It is found that the groups generally match the agency defined good, medium, and poor conditions. However, there are exceptions in which the group method does not completely agree with the agency’s pavement condition. Finally, correlations among the laboratory test results of field cores and in-service pavement conditions such as the international roughness index (IRI) and rut depth have been established. The laboratory test results are statistically correlated with the rut depth, but no significant correlation between the laboratory test results and IRI has been observed. Specifically, the air voids and dynamic modulus of the bottom surface layer are related to the rut depth of the left lane. Interestingly, the weighted bond strength between bottom surface course and binder course layers at 54°C is found to be related to the rut depth of the right lane. The traffic volume has been found to be well-correlated with the IRI.