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Accurate identification of factors that primarily affect the number of low-temperature cracks is crucial for selection of road materials and planning of pavement maintenance. Field investigations of low-temperature cracks were performed in the years 2014 and 2020 on the same 68 road sections being in service in typical traffic conditions. The collected data were statistically analysed using the ordered logistic regression model. Comparison of the odds ratios which were calculated on the basis of the model enabled ordering of the selected factors from those having the greatest effect on low-temperature cracking of pavements to those with the least influence: (1) pavement age, (2) type of asphalt concrete, (3) modification of bitumen, (4) climatic zone (on the basis of low performance grade temperature). The odds of a section belonging to the group of cracked sections decreased by half when a polymer-modified bitumen was used in its binder course and asphalt base. Regardless of the considered factors, the odds of a pavement section being classified into the group of heavily cracked sections are comparable. It means that some external factors, including quality of paving works and bitumen chemistry, may prove the most crucial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The new approach to fatigue life determination, based on pseudo strain energy density was developed. • The energy consumed to counteract the healing effect is considered in this approach. • The new test procedure for Dynamic Shear Rheometer was proposed and named: Discontinuous Linear Amplitude Sweep test (named D-LAS) • Various asphalt mastics were evaluated according to the newly developed method. • Fatigue life of tested mastics exhibits logarithmic growth with an increase in the duration of rest periods. Rest periods between cyclic loads can lead to recovery of damage and extension of fatigue life. This phenomenon is referred to as healing. Healing is clearly observed in bituminous materials, such as asphalt mastics, which belong to the components of asphalt mixtures. Due to the nature of road pavement traffic loading, which is characterized by series of intermittent pulses with rest periods, consideration of healing is necessary for accurate fatigue life estimation. Nevertheless, the vast majority of existing methods relies on relationships established using continuous load conditions. The paper presents a new approach to fatigue life determination, based on pseudo strain energy density. Two components of energy released in fatigue test are considered: the energy responsible for damage growth and the energy consumed to counteract the healing effect. Theoretical derivations were verified in experimental tests, which were performed on asphalt mastics using the Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR). It was shown that fatigue life increases with the duration of rest periods on a linear-log scale. Moreover, fatigue life and healing abilities of the analysed asphalt mastics were affected by the type of bitumen and filler, as well as the ageing process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-temperature cracking is one of the most common road pavement distress types in Poland. While bitumen performance can be evaluated in detail using bending beam rheometer (BBR) or dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) tests, none of the normalized test methods gives a comprehensive representation of low-temperature performance of the asphalt mixtures. This article presents the Bending Beam Creep test performed at temperatures from −20 °C to +10 °C in order to evaluate the low-temperature performance of asphalt mixtures. Both validation of the method and its utilization for the assessment of eight types of wearing courses commonly used in Poland were described. The performed test indicated that the source of bitumen and its production process (and not necessarily only bitumen penetration) had a significant impact on the low-temperature performance of the asphalt mixtures, comparable to the impact of binder modification (neat, polymer-modified, highly modified) and the aggregate skeleton used in the mixture (Stone Mastic Asphalt (SMA) vs. Asphalt Concrete (AC)). Obtained Bending Beam Creep test results were compared with the BBR bitumen test. Regression analysis confirmed that performing solely bitumen tests is insufficient for comprehensive low-temperature performance analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-modulus asphalt concrete has numerous advantages in comparison to conventional asphalt concrete, including increased resistance to permanent deformations and increased pavement fatigue life. However, previous studies have shown that the construction of road pavements with High Modulus Asphalt Concrete (HMAC) may significantly increase the risk of low-temperature cracking. Those observations were the motivation for the research presented in this paper. Four test sections with HMAC used in base and binder courses were evaluated in the study. Field investigations of the number of low-temperature cracks were performed over several years. It was established that the number of new low-temperature cracks is susceptible to many random factors, and the statistical term "reversion to the mean" should be considered. A new factor named Increase in Cracking Index was developed to analyze the resistance of pavement to low-temperature cracking. For all the considered field sections, samples were cut from each asphalt layer, and Thermal Stress Restrained Specimen Tests were performed in the laboratory. Correlations of temperature at failure and cryogenic stresses with the cracking intensity observed in the field were analyzed. The paper provides practical suggestions for pavement designers. When the use of high modulus asphalt concrete is planned for binder course and asphalt base, which may result in lower resistance to low-temperature cracking of pavement than in the case of conventional asphalt concrete, it is advisable to apply a wearing course with improved resistance to low-temperature cracking. Such an approach may compensate for the adverse effects of usage of high modulus asphalt concrete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Low-temperature properties of 17 asphalt mixtures and 10 bitumens were tested. • Mixtures were tested in TSRST and 3 PB and bitumen were tested in BBR and Fraass. • Multiple regression between bitumen and mixture properties were determined. • Bitumen rheological properties correspond to cryogenic stresses induced in mixture. • Mixture failure temperature results from combined bitumen properties and its content. The paper aims to identify those characteristics of bitumen which have the greatest impact on asphalt mixture low-temperature performance. It was observed that stiffness and m-value of bitumen from BBR test were moderately related to stiffness and m-value of asphalt mixture obtained from 3 PB test. Simultaneously those rheological properties significantly impact on cryogenic stresses induced during TSRST test. The multiple regression model was developed and it implied that mixture failure temperature depends both on rheological properties, brittle fracture and content of bitumen, what means that only comprehensive assessment of bitumen properties enables reasonable assessment of its low-temperature performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]