Analysis of Rutting Prediction Criteria Using a Nonlinear Viscoelastic Model

Abstract

Several prediction criteria have been proposed to rank asphalt binders based on their rutting performance, and each one has been shown to be able to predict rutting behavior observed in either accelerated loading field tests or under highway traffic with some level of success. In this study, an analysis of these rutting prediction criteria was conducted in order to identify the virtues and shortcomings of each. Asphalt binders that were used in the accelerated loading facility (ALF) study conducted by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) were obtained and studied. The experimental data obtained on these binders were fit with a nonlinear viscoelastic model so that it can be used to predict their response under different loading conditions. By comparing predicted behavior based on the nonlinear viscoelastic model and the various rutting prediction criteria, the part of the complex nonlinear mechanical behavior of these binders that each criterion addresses was determined. Results show that each criterion represents the resistance offered by asphalt binders to permanent strain over a specific range of stresses. Results also show that a simple viscosity test might be sufficient to characterize the rutting performance of asphalt binders accurately.