Investigating the mechanical behavior of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) bases in large scale test box

Abstract

The objective of this research was to assess the elastic deformations and permanent strains of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) material as a base layer when it is treated or untreated with pozzolanic cement under cyclic loads. A large-scale cyclic plate loading testing (CPLT) device was developed for studying the mechanical characteristics of pavement base layer. The laboratory test results indicated that when the RAP percentage of the mixtures increased, elastic deformations and permanent strains increased, but the opposite was true when the cement percentage increased. It was concluded that 100% RAP material can be used in base layers with 3% pozzolanic cement. The obtained deformation values and strain rates can be used as reasonable default design input values by pavement designers when using RAP as a substitute for natural aggregate base layers.