Influence of Freeze-Thaw on the Mechanical Behavior of the Granular Base and Fatigue Life of Pavement Structures in Japan

This paper examines the effects of freeze-thaw and water content on the mechanical behavior of granular base by performing model tests of granular roadbed and CBR tests of base course materials. We also evaluate the influences of the change in the performance of granular base on the fatigue life of pavement structures in cold regions by applying the theoretical design method for asphalt pavement in consideration of the effects found in the above-mentioned experiments. As the results, it was revealed that the bearing capacity of granular base increases in freezing season and decreases in thawing season. This indicates that the freeze-thaw of granular base has a strong influence on the fatigue life of pavement structures in cold regions because it varies the deformation-strength characteristics of base course materials.