Date of Award

2026-05-01

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Civil Engineering

Advisor(s)

Imad N. Abdallah

Abstract

The Balanced Mix Design (BMD) process aims to achieve an economical blend of aggregates, binder, and additives for satisfactory performance against rutting and cracking-related distresses, compared to volumetric design methods. Although the BMD process improves the structural performance of pavements, functional performance is essential for the comfort and safety of road users. Road user comfort is influenced by pavement distresses, while road user safety is largely determined by the skid resistance (frictional resistance) of the pavement. The aim of this dissertation was to incorporate skid resistance into the BMD framework through an approach. To develop an approach that integrates with the BMD framework, a comprehensive study was conducted by investigating the parameters controlling the frictional performance of asphalt mixtures in a control mixture. The identified asphalt mixture friction controlling parameters were verified in the field through friction studies. Several case studies were carried out to improve the frictional performance of mixtures with poor friction resistance. A Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) model was formulated for fifty asphalt mixtures by dividing into training and testing datasets in a 70:30 ratio. The developed model demonstrated high prediction capabilities, which could help Department of Transportations (DOTs) estimate the frictional performance of mixtures based on asphalt mixture gradation and the frictional resistance of aggregate bins. Later, the study examined the impact of friction controlling parameters on rutting, cracking and moisture damage performance. Based on the findings, an approach was formulated that incorporates skid resistance into the BMD framework. The study identified that aggregate frictional resistance is one of the parameters controlling the frictional performance of asphalt mixtures. To make it easier for highway agencies to assess aggregate friction, several alternative test methods were examined, and the details of those methods are documented in this dissertation.

Language

en

Provenance

Received from ProQuest

File Size

145 p.

File Format

application/pdf

Rights Holder

Sandeep Reddy Gottam

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