Effect of a Sand Mix Interlayer on Thermal Cracking in Overlays

Abstract

Sand mix interlayers are one of the most widely used stress-absorbing types of interlayers employed for concrete overlays and concrete bridge decks. Most of the available research focuses on the function of sand mix interlayers in terms of mechanics and ignores their ability to mitigate thermal cracking, which is one of the main distresses in pavements. To address this deficiency in the current body of literature, this study analyzes the effect of a sand mix interlayer on thermal cracking in overlays. This research examines the asphalt mixture, sand mix and concrete materials in terms of their contraction performance. The stress and strain states of the structures with and without a sand mix interlayer are determined using a strain gauge and are simulated using