EXPERIMENTAL USE OF RESIN MODIF I ED ASPHALT PAVEMENT ON

MONTPELIER STATE HIGHWAY

FINAL REPORT 87 - 2

JANUARY 1987

REPORTING ON WORK PLAN 82 - R-19

STATE OF VERMONT AGENCY OF TRANSPORTATION

MATERIALS & RESEARCH DIVISION

SUSAN C. CRAMPTON~ SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION ARTHUR J. GOSS~ P.E.~ DIRECTOR~ DEPT. OF PLANNING & PRECONSTRUCTI ON

R. F. NICHOLSON~ P.E.~ MATERIALS & RESEARCH ENGINEER

Prepared By:

Ronald I. Frascoia Re~earch & Development Supervisor

Reviewed By:

R. F. Nicholson~ P . E. Materials & Research Engi neer

Date: c===JtA Y"\ . 2.c < /9J-7 I I

1. Report No. 2. Govetnment .Acc; ssion No.

4. Ti t le and Subt i t le

Experimental Use Of Resin Modified Asphalt Pavement On Montpelier State Highway

7. Author(s)

Ronald I. Frascoia 9. Performing Organization Nome ond·Address

Vermont Agency Of Transportation Materials & Research Divi sion

TECHNICAL REPORT STANDARD TITLE PAGE

3. Recipien t's Catalog No.

5. Report Date

January 1987 6. Perform ing Organization Code

8. Performing Organization Report No.

87 - 2 10. Work Unit No.

I I . Contrac t or Grant No.

133 State Street ~.O . #DTFH71-84-4503-VT-07 Montpelier , Vermont 05602 13. TypeoiReportondPeriodCovered ~~~------~------~--------------------------~ 12. Spon~oring Agency Nome ond Add ress

Federal Highway Administration Demonstration Projects Division 400 7th Street, S.W . Washington, D. C. 20590 15. Supplementary Notes

16. Ab6troct

Final Report Oct. 1982 - Oct. 1986

14. Sponsoring Agency Code

This Final Report discusses the performance of a bituminous concrete mix modified with Sol ar Laglugel, a combination of natural and syn­thetic resins . The resins were added to the asphalt in the plant storage tank at a rate of 1 . 34 percent by weight of the asphalt cement . No significant problems were encountered with the productions or placement of 365 tons of the modified mix . Detailed information re lated to initial construction and observations can be found in Report 83-5 , dated June , 1983.

The project was monitored for bituminous mix properties, reflective cracking, wheel path rutting, riding quality, friction values and maintenance requirements over a four year period of service.

I n general , there was very little differen ce i n performance between the Solar Laglugel modif i ed and standard mixes placed in the field trial. Although t he modifier may enhance the performance of a mar­gional bituminous concrete mix, its addition to Vermont 's standard mix at a cost of $10 . 00 to $12 . 00 per ton would not be cost effective based upon the results obtained in t his study .

17, Key Words

Performance Bituminous Concrete Mix Solar Laglugel Cost Eff ective

19. Se curi ty Clossi l . (of this roport)

Unclassified

Form DOT F 1700.7 IB-69 )

18, Distribution Statement

No Restrictions

20, Se curlty ~Cioui f. (of this pogo) 21. No, of Pages 22. Price

Unclassified 11

i

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

This project was performed in cooperation with the U. S. Department

of Tran sportation, Federal Highway Administration , Demonstration

Projects Division in con j unction with Special Experimental Features

Project No. 3 Asphalt Additives under Work Order No .

DTFH71- 84 - 4503 - VT - 07 .

"The information contained in this Report was compi l ed for the

use of the Vermont Agency of Transportation . Conclusions and

recommendations con t ained herein are based upon the research data

obtained and the expertise of the researchers , and are not

necessarily to be construed as Agency policy . This Report does

not constitute a s t andard , specification , or regul ation . The Vermont

Agency of Transportation assumes no l iability for its contents

or the use thereof ."

ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

Abstract . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . i

Acknowl edgment ii

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Location Map

Test Section Layout

Field Exposure Conditions

Project Condition And Performance

Summary

Conclusi on An d Recommendation

Fol l owup .

Work Plan

iii

2

3

4

4

6

8

8

9

INTRODUCTION

Solar Laglugel is a resin and nylon base modifier designed to

increase the performance of bituminous concrete pavements. Suppliers

of the produc t propose that when combined wi th asphalt , Solar

Laglugel significantly increases tensile strength , acts as an

anti-stripping agent, enhances adhesive bonding qualities and retains

f r iction values . Gr eater resiliency of the modified pavement allows

the placement of thinne r overl ays (3/4 inch minimum ) resulting

in significant cost savings . The modifier is avai l able from

Additives of New England , Inc. , 104 Woodland Road, Ashland , MA

01721 (Phone No . 61 7- 881- 1684 ) .

In August of 1982, the Vermont Agency of Transportation was offered

550 pounds of Solar Lagluge l at no charge for a field evaluation .

With the cooperation of the loca l bituminous concrete producer

Cooley Asphalt Paving Corporation , approximately 365 tons of the

experimental mix was produced and placed in Montpelier, Vermont

on the Montpelier State Highway i n October , 19 82 . There were no

significant problems encountered with the production of the modified

mix or with its placement in a 1~ inch thick overlay .

Detailed i nformat i on on the product i on, placement, and initial

f i e ld perfo rmance of the modif ied and s t andard mixes can be found

in Report 83-5 , dated June , 1983 . Th is Final Report discusses

the performance of the pavements through four year s of service .

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LOCATION MAP

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FIELD EXPOSURE CONDITIONS

Weather condi t i on s through the 48 month evaluation peri od have

generally fa lle n within the norm for the geographical area . The

averages would include a free zin g index of 1 , 2 50 , 7 5 freeze- t haw

cycl es and 75 inches of snow. Frost penetration within the roadway

cross section is believed to have reached the SO to 60 inch depth .

Air temperatures over 90 degrees were recorded on seve r a l occasions

while pavement s urface temperatures wou l d have been expected to

peak at less than 1 30 ° F .

The av erage daily traffic on the test site which includes two

wes t bound l anes ranged from 4 , 170 in 1982 to 4,280 in 1 986 . However ,

it should be noted that approximately 70 percent of the traffic

uses the l eft-hand lane which ha s the s t andar d mix, while the

r emaining 30 percent of the vehicles travel ove r the modified mix

in the t est sect i ons under evaluation .

at six percent of t he total .

Truck traffic i s estimated

PROJECT CONDITION AND PERFOR}UlliCE

Mix Properties

The initial project testing r evealed that bo th the standard mix

and the mix modified with the addition of 1 . 34 percent So l ar Laglugel

by weight of asphalt cement were within job specifications . The

Marshall stability of the resin modified mix was 2 , 42 4 p ounds or

101 pounds less than the standard mix . The Marshall flow value

was 10 or 2 1 es s than the standard mix . Pene tration va l ues for

the recove red asphalt from pavement cores taken in Nove mber , 1 9 8 2

were r ecorded at an average of 61 in the modifi e d mix and 55 in

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the standard mix . Cores taken in 1985 revealed a 16 point drop

to 45 for the modified mix and a 1 2 point drop to 43 for The standard

mi x.

Reflec tive Crackin~

Test sections 1-4 were surveyed four times to determine the rate

of reflective cracking. Through 1985, refl ective cracking occurred

at a s lightly higher rate in the modified mix . Th e condition may

have been due in part to the lower traffic volume since t he traffic

volume is known to effec t the developm·ent of cold weather transverse

cracks . The last survey in June , 1986 revealed 51 percent ref l ection

of t r ansverse cracks in the modified mix a nd 48 percent in the

s tandard mix . The reoccurrence of longitudinal and miscell aneous

cracks was much lower in the modified mix at 30 percent as compared

to 51 percent in the standard mix. The overall rate of re fleet ion

c an be seen in the following table .

Type Mix

Modified

Standard

Original Lf. Of Cracks

653

594

% Reflective Cracking 2/23/86 6/5/84 8/9/85 6/2/86

17

1 6

21

20

26

24

39

44

There was no significant difference i n the width of the pavement

cracks in the two mixes nor was there v i sual evidence of raveling

along the edges of cracks . The l eve l of cracking resu lted in a

maintenance application of hot rubberized asphalt crack fil l er

in J u ly , 1986 .

Pavement Rutting

Pavement wheel path rutting has been insignificant on both mixes

to date . Measurements taken on June 2, 1986 averaged 2/16 inch

on the modified mix and 3/16 inch on the standard mix. It could

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be assumed the difference i n values is due to the additiona l traffic

volume on the standard mix.

Riding Quality

The ridin g quali t y of t he p avemen t was mon i t ored wi t h a Mays

Meter in November , 1 982 s hortl y after placemen t a n d again i n October ,

1986. The i n itial s u rfa ce tolerance in i n ches of roughness per

mile was 36 for the modified mix and 50 for the standard mix . After

four years , the roughness of the experimental section had increased

by 4 8 inches to 8 4 inches per mile while the standard mix had

increased 40 inches to 90 i n ches per mile .

Fric t i on Value s

Pavement frict i on va l ues were obtained in 1983 and again in 1985

using a locked wheel friction t r aile r . The measurements were taken

in the l eft wheel path at a speed of 40 miles per ho u r . The first

tests on t he mo difi ed mix averaged 51 . 6 . Values obtained two years

l ater had dropped 2 . 6 to 49.0 . Initial values on the standard

mix averaged 46 . 1 and dropped 0 . 8 to 45 . 3 in 1985 . Al l values

obtained are considered satisfactory .

Maint enance Requi rements

There has been no bleedin g, raveling , developmen t of pot holes

or other distress noted on the project . Main tenan ce requirements

have been limited to the crack fil l ing operation condu cted i n July ,

1986 a n d reapplica t ion of traffic markings .

SUMMARY

There were no significant problems encountered wi t h the production

of 365 tons of bituminou s concrete mix modified with Solar Laglugel

at a rate of 1.34 percent by weight of asphal t cement . With the

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exception of mixing the additive with the asphalt in the storage

tank, the mix procedure was unchanged.

The modified mix gave off a strong odor and ,.,as stickier than

the standard mix but did not present any problems with placement.

The Marshall stability and flow values on the modified mix were

slightly lower than those recorded on the standard mix.

Penetration values for the recovered asphalt from pavement cores

taken after three years of service revealed a 16 point drop to

45 for the modified mix and a 12 point drop to 43 for the standard

mix .

Transverse cracks r efl ected up through both mixes at approximately

the same rate while fewer l ongi tudina l and miscellaneous cracks

occurred in the modified mix. The overall rate of reflection was

39 percent for the modified mix and 44 percent for the s tandard

mix through 44 months of service .

Pavement wheel path rutting has been insignificant and

approximate l y equal on both mixes .

Through four years of service , pavement roughness has increased

by 48 inches to 84 inches per mile for the modified pavement as

compare d to a 40 inch increase to 90 inches per mile for the standard

pavement .

Sa tis factory initial pavement friction values have been retained

with little difference noted between the two mixes .

With the excep t ion of pavement crack filling and reapplication

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of traffic markings, there were no maintenance requirements on

the test site and none are anticipated in the near future .

CONCLUSION AND RECO~ffiNDATION

In general, there was very little difference in performance between

the Solar Laglugel modified and standard mixes placed in the field

trial. Although the modifier may enhance the performance of a

marginal bituminous concrete mix, its addition to Vermont's standard

mix at a cost of $10.00 to $12 . 00 per ton would not be cost effective

based upon results obtained in t his study.

Further trial use of Solar Laglugel is not recommended .

FOLLOWUP

Periodic observations will continue on the project . If significant

changes are noted prior to rehabi litat i on , a followup report will

be prepared and .distributed .

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STATE OF VERMONT AGENCY OF TRANSPORTATION

MATERIALS & RESEARCH DIVISION

WORK PLAN FOR

Prepared By: Date: Page 1

CATEGORY II EXPERIMENTAL PROJECT

RESIN MODIFIED ASPHALT PAVEMENT

WORK PLAN 82-R-19

OBJECTIVE OF EXPERIMENT

R. I. Frascoia~ August 26, 1982 of 3

To produce and place a bituminous concrete mix modified with a natural and synthetic resin admixture and to compare the properties and per­formance of the modified material with a standard bituminous concrete mix.

PROJECT

Montpelier F 028-2(6)S

PROJECT LOCATION

In the City of Montpelier, on the Montpelier State Highway, beginning at the intersection of the Montpelier State Highway and Ramp A and extending easterly 3981 feet, ending 100 feet west of the intersection with Bailey Avenue Extension.

EXPERIMENTAL WORK LOCATION

On 2900 + lineal feet of 12 foot wide roadway beginning near the inter­section with Bailey Avenue and continuing westerly. The work location is subject to change, depending on mix production and field conditions.

MATERIALS TO BE USED

The experimental mix shall be modified with SOLAR LAGLUGEL, a compound consisting of a nylon gel and 14 natural and synthetic resins. The material is available from Solar Asphalt of America, Inc., 1361 St. Georges Avenue, Rahway, N.J. 07065. Phone (201) 381-5522.

Vermont A.O.T. Work Plan 82-R-19

August 26, 1982 Page 2 of 3

PRODUCTION PROCEDURE

The SOLAR LAGLUGEL Modifier shall be added to the asphalt cement in the delivery tanker or in a storage tank at the batch plant at the rate of 1.33 percent by weight of the asphalt cement. Mixing shall be achiev8d by circulating the mixture for 60 minutes at temperatures between 280 F and 320°F. Approximately 325 tons of the modified mix shall be produced.

CONTROL SECTION AND TREATMENT

COST

The control section shall consist of adjacent areas of bituminous concrete pavement constructed with the same bituminous mix without the admixture. Sufficient data will be gathered on the control section to make the desired comparisons with the modified pavement section.

The in-place cost of the standard bituminous concrete pavement shall be $26.50 per ton. There will be no increase in cost for the modified mix, due to the cooperation of the material supplier and paving contractor.

DATE OF CONSTRUCTION

The experimental treatment shall be completed prior to October 15, 1982.

EVALUATION PROCEDURE

The initial evaluation will include the following steps:

1) Obtain initial design, construction and maintenance records on the section of highway which is to be overlaid.

2) Visually inspect and document the condition of the existing pavement.

3) Observe the production and paving process and document pertinent in­formation on the equipment required, method of production, mix temper­atures, compaction effort required and achieved, weather conditions, and other related information.

4) Document laboratory and field tests taken during the construction of the project and obtain core samples of the standard and modified pavement for lab analysis.

5) Obtain Mays Meter ride values and friction tests on the experimental and control sections .

Vermont A.O.T. Work Plan 82-R-19

DURATION OF STUDY

August 26, 1982 Page 3 of 3

The experimental project will be evaluated for a minimum of five years following completion of construction.

SURVEILLANCE

The experimental and control pavements shall be monitored during con­struction and at least once each winter and spring for the duration of the study. Evaluations shall include documentation of the condition of both experimental and control pavements. The long term performance of the modified pavement will be compared with that of the standard pavement with emphasis on the following areas:

1) Reductions in reflective cracking.

2) Retention of initial ride values.

3) Retention of initial friction values.

REPORTS

An initial report covering the production, placement, and initial observa­tions and a final report showing conclusions on the effectiveness of the experimental material shall be submitted to the Federal Highway Adminis­tration.

Materials & Research Division Agency of Transportation August 31, 1982

Reviewed By:

72~-a~ R. F. Nicholson, P.E. Materials & Research Engineer

Date: ~f' f . ..3/ ,I J ~ 2-