Performance-Based Evaluation of Hot Mix Asphalt: A Comparative Study of Uniaxial and Triaxial Compression Tests

Öz

This study examines the deformation behavior of hot mix asphalt mixtures prepared with 50/70 and 70/100 penetration grade binders. A total of 32 specimens with binder contents ranging from 3.0% to 6.5% were initially tested using the Marshall method, which established an optimum binder content of 4.55%. In the second phase, 48 additional specimens were produced at binder contents of 4.05%, 4.55%, and 5.05% and tested under uniaxial and triaxial compression conditions, both static and dynamic. The results showed that mixtures with 50/70 binder exhibited higher stability and lower permanent strains compared to 70/100 mixtures. Uniaxial static tests produced the greatest deformation, while the triaxial dynamic tests captured the characteristic three-stage creep process. Based on the mean values of duplicate specimens, the application of confinement reduced permanent strains by approximately 40-60% relative to uniaxial loading, and mixtures with 50/70 binder exhibited approximately 25% lower strain accumulation under cyclic loading than those with 70/100 binder. Overall, the findings indicate that binder grade, binder content, and loading condition strongly influence the rutting susceptibility of the mixtures. The study indicates that triaxial dynamic testing better approximates the in-service stress state of pavements and should be integrated into performance-based asphalt mixture design to enhance pavement durability and sustainability.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Bituminous hot mixture
• Deformation resistance
• Performance-based design
• Uniaxial test
• Triaxial test

Etik Beyan

Ethics committee approval was not required for this study because of there was no study on animals or humans.

Teşekkür

This article was derived from the first author’s master’s thesis entitled “Determination of deformation resistance of bituminous hot mixtures by triaxial compression test”, completed at the Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences of Selçuk University under the supervision of the second author.

Kaynakça

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