EVALUATION OF EMULSIFIED ASPHALT TREATED MIXES

AI-Abdul Wahhab, H. Asst. Prof. Civil Eng. Dept., KFUPM Saudi Arabia

Hicks, R.G. Prof. of Civil Eng. and Head of Transportation Research Institute Oregon State University. U.S.A.

ABSTRACT

This paper presents a laboratory based procedure for the evaluation and prediction of emulsified asphalt treated mixes behavior when used for road construction. Marl and dune sand, which are available in abundant quantities in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, and open graded limestone aggregate mixes were included in this study. Portland cement in small percentages was added to the sand and marl mixes to improve their engineering properties. Modified Marshall stability method was used to arrive at the optimum sand mixes. Designed mixes were subjected to a series of laboratory testing to evaluate their engineering properties and to predict their behavior under field simulated conditions. Tests including Marshall stability, water sensitivity, split tensile strength, resilient modulus, fatigue life and rutting behavior were performed on cured Marshall size and beam specimens. Fatigue and rutting behavior of each mix were modeled and used in a mechanistic design procedure to come up with optimum pavement cross-sections for local conditions. Full scale trials of emulsified asphalt roads will still be required to check their performance under real field conditions and to evaluate their economic viability.