Laboratory Evaluation of Warm-Mix Asphalt Mixtures for Moisture and Rutting Susceptibility

Since its introduction, warm mix asphalt (WMA) has garnered a lot of attention and interest from the pavement industry as a promising technology to replace the conventional hot mix asphalt (HMA). Despite its many benefits, including reducing emissions and fuel usage, definitive answers on the feasibility of replacing HMA pavements with WMA are yet to be answered. A major concern for WMA is susceptibility to moisture-induced damage. In this research study, mixtures prepared using three WMA technologies- viz. Sasobit, Advera WMA and the Foamer were evaluated for their moisture susceptibility and permanent deformation in comparison with an HMA mixture. Tensile strength ratio (TSR) and asphalt pavement analyzer (APA) tests were conducted on these mixtures. Results show that moisture-based WMA technologies (Advera and Foamer) are more susceptible to moisture damage. However, rut depths evaluated using APA, even for moisture-conditioned specimens, indicated WMA performance on par with that of HMA. Even though the TSR values do not meet specifications, APA test results indicate good potential for the widespread use of WMA.