Modeling the Creep Compliance of Asphalt Concrete Using the Artificial Neural Network Technique

The new mechanistic-empirical pavement design guide developed under the NCHRP project 1-37A adopted the creep compliance parameter to characterize the low-temperature behavior of bituminous materials. It is used to predict thermal cracking of roads. However, determination of the creep compliance at three temperatures (-20, -10 and 0 o C) involves elaborate laboratory testing and special training of technical staff, a capability that the majority of road jurisdictions in Canada lack today. This paper presents a scheme to estimate the needed parameter by taking advantage of the wealth of field information available from long term pavement performance (LTPP) sites. The proposed technique is based on the use of artificial neural network technique to have a good estimation of the creep compliance of asphalt concrete mixes. Several ANN models were trained and tested using simple parameters collected over the years from LTPP sites. Results of ANN simulations showed the good potential that proposed model has to predict the creep compliance (at different low temperatures) of mixes prepared with different binders. Such a model represents an attractive alternative to testing for small jurisdictions with limited budget and personnel.