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Modeling of Moisture-Induced Damage in Asphalt Mixtures

Bozorgzad, Ashkan | 2012

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  1. Type of Document: M.Sc. Thesis
  2. Language: Farsi
  3. Document No: 44460 (09)
  4. University: Sharif University of Technology
  5. Department: Civil Engineering
  6. Advisor(s): Tabatabaee, Nader
  7. Abstract:
  8. The deleterious effect of moisture on the structural integrity of asphalt mixtures has been recognized as one of the main causes of early deterioration of asphalt pavements. This phenomenon, usually referred to as moisture damage, is defined as the progressive loss of structural integrity of the mixture. Moisture damage is associated with the development of different physical, mechanical and chemical processes occurring within the microstructure of the mixture at different intensities and rates. Although there have been important advancements in identifying and characterizing this phenomenon, there is still a lack of understanding of the damage mechanisms occurring at the microscopic level. The main objective of this research was to formulate and apply a numerical micromechanical model of moisture-induced damage in asphalt mixtures. The developed model focuses on coupling the effects of moisture diffusion—one of the three main modes of moisture transport within asphalt mixtures—with the mechanical performance of the microstructure.Specifically, the model accounts for the effect of moisture diffusion on the degradation of the viscoelastic bulk matrix of the mixture (cohesive degradation) and on the gradual deterioration of the adhesive bonds between the aggregates and the asphalt matrix (adhesive degradation) The micromechanical model was applied to study the role of some physical and mechanical properties of the constitutive phases of the mixtures on the susceptibility of the mixture to moisture damage. The results from this analysis suggest that the diffusion coefficients of the asphalt matrix and aggregates, as well as the bond strength of the aggregate-matrix interface, have the most influence on the moisture susceptibility of the mixtures.
  9. Keywords:
  10. Micromechanical Modeling ; Numerical Modeling ; Asphalt Mixture ; Moisture

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