Moisture Damage Characteristics of Warm Mix Asphalt Mixtures

This was a two-part study. The goal of the first part was to undertake an internet survey of materials and construction engineers in each of the fifty state Department of Transportation (DOT) agencies to ascertain if moisture damage related distresses have materialized in WMA field projects placed in the United States. Based on the responses received there was no evidence of moisture damage related distresses in the field. In the second part of the study, laboratory measurements of the resistance of various WMA mixtures to moisture damage were conducted. Moisture susceptibility was evaluated utilizing the Hamburg Wheel Tracking Device (HWTD); E* stiffness ratio (ESR); adhesive bond energy based on surface energy measurements of asphalt binders and aggregates; and fracture characteristics of the mixtures tested under dry and wet conditions. These methods were selected because they are believed to assess different mechanisms of moisture damage. The tests were conducted on specimens that were aged at different times and different temperatures. In general, the results showed that most WMA technologies have good resistance to moisture damage. The difference in moisture susceptibility between the WMA and control (hot mix asphalt) mixtures was dependent on the aging time. An increase in aging time decreased the difference in performance between WMA and HMA mixtures. The results of the HWTD showed that moisture damage resistance was enhanced when anti-strip agents, such as chemical and hydrated lime, were incorporated.