Influence of epoxy asphalt concrete anti-fatigue layer on structure of perpetual asphalt concrete pavement with flexible base

A kind of new epoxy asphalt for road engineering was developed. Based on tensile test, viscosity test, and fluorescence microscope technology, the tensile strength, breaking elongation, changing rules of viscosity with time, and microscopic curing mechanism of epoxy asphalt were evaluated. The epoxy asphalt concrete AC-13C was designed, and its road performances and fatigue characteristics were evaluated. When common asphalt concrete, SBS modified asphalt concrete and epoxy asphalt concrete were taken as anti-fatigue layers, the influences of anti-fatigue layers on the structural thickness and fatigue life of perpetual asphalt concrete pavement with flexible base were analyzed. Test result shows that the tensile strength of epoxy asphalt is 2.47 MPa and the breaking elongation is 2.65, which satisfies the technical requirement that the tensile strength is not less than 1.5 MPa and the breaking elongation is not less than 2. The time needs 54 min when the viscosity of epoxy asphalt reach to 1 Pa·s, after 54 min, the viscosity increases rapidly, so the total time for mixing, transportation, and paving should be controlled within 54 min in construction. The fatigue strain limit is 333 μΕ when the fatigue life is 1 billion times according to the fatigue equation of epoxy asphalt concrete. Compared to common asphalt concrete and SBS modified asphalt concrete, when epoxy asphalt concrete is taken as anti-fatigue layer, the fatigue life of perpetual asphalt concrete pavement increases by 2.92×105 times and 4.39×103 times respectively, and the thickness decreases 18 cm and 10 cm. The microscopic curing mechanism of epoxy asphalt is that epoxy resin and hardener form cross-linked and three-dimensional network structure from point to line and from line to net in asphalt. 9 tabs, 3 figs, 26 refs. © 2017, Editorial Department of Journal of Traffic and Transportation Engineering. All right reserved.