FRAMEWORK FOR PERFORMANCE-BASED APPROACH TO MIX DESIGN AND ANALYSIS (WITH DISCUSSION)

Two objectives of the Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP) Project A-003A were to develop a series of accelerated performance tests (APTs) for asphalt-aggregate mixes and recommendations for their use in mix design and analysis systems. The primary test methods include the flexural beam test for fatigue, a suite of tests using the recently developed shear device for permanent deformation, the thermal stress restrained specimen test (TSRST) for thermal cracking, and the Environmental Conditioning System (ECS) for moisture susceptibility.