PURPOSES : Given that large-scale repair works of expressway bridge pavements have high maintenance cost and long traffic blocking time, the thin overlay method that maintains the existing pavement is attracting attention. In this study, because the bridge thin overlay has not been introduced in Korea yet, the basic physical properties of the epoxy thin overlay, which is mainly used for the bridge thin overlay, were investigated, and the skid resistance and bond performance were analyzed. METHODS : Basic physical property tests were performed on each of the epoxy binders, aggregates, and mixtures used in epoxy thin overlay. They were also compared and reviewed against foreign standards. The epoxy binders were tested for viscosity, gel time, and thermal compatibility. The aggregates were tested in terms of water absorption, specific gravity, and gradation. The compressive and flexural strengths of the mixtures were investigated. The epoxy thin overlay has the possibility of detachment of aggregates, so the skid resistance was tested according to the paving phase. In addition, to investigate the bond performance, which is the most important performance of the epoxy thin overlay, the bond strength test was performed by varying the moisture condition and treatment condition of the existing layer surface. RESULTS : The basic physical properties of the materials used in the epoxy thin overlays satisfied foreign standards except for the gradation of aggregates. The skid resistance did not satisfy the standard when the epoxy was exposed, whereas the skid resistance did satisfy the standard when the aggregates were exposed, even after the abrasion test. The bond strength of the epoxy thin overlay satisfied the standard in all cases. The bond strength was the highest when the relative humidity of the existing layer surface was 60%. CONCLUSIONS : The materials of epoxy thin overlay that could be obtained in Korea satisfied the basic physical property standards except for aggregate gradation. Given that the aggregate gradation could be adjusted, it can be concluded that the epoxy thin overlay could be introduced in Korea. In addition, it was confirmed that the skid resistance and bond strength of the epoxy thin overlay were high enough to be used in general road conditions. It was determined that the existing layer surface should maintain an optimal relative humidity of approximately 60% because the moisture condition affects the bond strength.

PURPOSES : Almost every design method for airport concrete pavements considers only traffic loading and not environmental loading. This study proposes a mechanistic design method for airport concrete pavements, that considers both environmental and traffic loading simultaneously. METHODS: First, the environmental loading of concrete pavements in Korean airports was quantified. FEAFAA, a finite element analysis program for airport pavements, was used to calculate the maximum tensile stress (MTS) of the slab, caused by both environmental and traffic loadings. The factors that influence the MTS were identified via sensitivity analysis, and an MTS prediction model was developed using the statistical analysis program SPSS. The ratio of MTS to the tensile strength of slab was calculated using the prediction model. The fatigue model under the AC 150/5320-6E and AC 150/5320-6F standards of the FAA was corrected to make it suitable for the predicted stress-strength ratio. RESULTS : The MTS prediction model and corrected fatigue model were used to redesign the slab thickness and joint spacing of airport concrete pavements originally designed using the AC 150/5320-6D standard, which empirically considers traffic loading only. As a result, different slab thicknesses and joint spacings were redesigned with consideration for environmental loading, specifically the weather conditions of airports. . CONCLUSIONS: The slab thickness and joint spacing can be mechanistically designed at the same time, whereas previously, only the slab thickness was designed, and the joint spacing was determined empirically.

PURPOSES : It is well known that low temperature cracking is one of the most serious distresses on asphalt pavement, especially for northern U.S. (including Alaska), Canada and the northern part of south Korea. The risk of thermal cracking can be numerically measured by estimating thermal stress of a given asphalt mixture. This thermal stress can be computed by low temperature creep testing. Currently, in-direct tensile (IDT) mixture creep test mentioned in AASHTO specification is used for measuring low temperature creep properties of a given asphalt mixture. However, IDT requires the use of expensive testing equipment for performing the sophisticated analysis process, however, very few laboratories utilize this equipment. In this paper, a new and simple performance test (SPT) method: bending beam rheometer (BBR) mixture creep testing equipment is introduced, and the estimated experimental results were compared with those of conventional IDT tests. METHODS: Three different asphalt mixtures containing reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) and roofing shingles were prepared in the Korea Expressway Corporation (KEC) research laboratory. Using the BBR and IDT, the low temperature creep stiffness data were measured and subsequently computed. Using a simple power-law function, the creep stiffness data were converted into relaxation modulus, and subsequently compared. Finally, thermal stress results were computed from relaxation modulus master curve using Gaussian quadrature approach with condierations of 24 Gauss number. RESULTS: In the case of the conventional asphalt mixture, similar trends were observed when the relaxation modulus and thermal stress results were compared. In the case of RAP and Shingle added mixtures, relatively different computation results were obtained. It can be estimated that different experimental surroundings and specimen sizes affected the results. CONCLUSIONS: It can be said that the BBR mixture creep test can be a more viable approach for measuring low temperature properties of asphalt mixture compared to expensive and complex IDT testing methods. However, more extensive research and analysis are required to further verify the feasibility of the BBR mixture creep test.