Study on Effective Compaction Time Based on Asphalt Mixture Cooling Curve

Abstract

The ambient temperature and initial compaction during asphalt pavement rolling influence the mixture's cooling rate, which subsequently affects the effective compaction time and quality. To forecast the effective compaction time and ensure its consistency despite ambient temperature fluctuations, an experimental test setup was designed. Cooling curves for AC13 and SMA13 mixes were measured at various compaction degrees and ambient temperatures. Concurrently, a finite element model was developed using thermal performance parameters to predict the cooling curves. The cooling curves for mixes with progressively increasing compaction were obtained. The effective compaction time is derived from the cooling curve, and the relationship between ambient temperature, initial compaction degree, and effective compaction time was established. The findings indicate that the model can effectively predict the cooling curve and the effective compaction time of the mixture. Moreover, the effective compaction time can be maintained consistently by adjusting the initial compaction degree of the mixture when ambient temperatures vary.