STRIPPING AND MOISTURE DAMAGE IN ASPHALT MIXTURES

Most asphalt concrete pavements in Texas have been designed to resist a variety of load and environmental stresses. For the most part, these pavements have been successful in this endeavor. However, in the past few years an increasing amount of distress, in the form of rutting, shoving, and bleeding, has been reported. This distress often has been caused by moisture damage or stripping which is attributed to the presence of moisture in the asphalt-aggregate matrix. This report summarizes the results of a survey of observed moisture problems in Texas, reviews information related to moisture damage and its cause, evaluates test methods used to predict moisture-related distress, and identifies practical solutions to these problems. (Author)