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.

PURPOSES : Previously, airport concrete pavement was designed using only aircraft gear loading without consideration of environmental loading. In this study, a multiple-regression model was developed to predict maximum tensile stress of airport concrete pavement based on finite element analysis using both environmental and B777 aircraft gear loadings. METHODS: A finite element model of airport concrete pavement and B777 aircraft main gears were fabricated to perform finite element analysis. The geometric shape of the pavement, material properties of the layers, and the loading conditions were used as input parameters for the finite element model. The sensitivity of maximum tensile stress of a concrete slab according to the variation in each input parameter was investigated by setting the ranges of the input parameters and performing finite element analysis. Based on the sensitivity analysis results, influential factors affecting the maximum tensile stress were found to be used as independent variables of the multi regression model. The maximum tensile stresses predicted by both the multiple regression model and finite element model were compared to verify the validity of the model developed in this study. RESULTS: As a result of the finite element analysis, it was determined that the maximum tensile stress developed at the bottom of the slab edge where gear loading was applied in the case that environmental loading was small. In contrast, the maximum tensile stress developed at the top of the slab center situated between the main gears in the case that the environmental loading got larger. As a result of the sensitivity analysis and multiple regression analysis, a maximum tensile stress prediction model was developed. The independent variables used included the joint spacing, slab thickness, the equivalent linear temperature difference between the top and bottom of the slab, the maximum take-off weight of a B777 aircraft, and the composite modulus of the subgrade reaction. The model was validated by comparing the predicted maximum tensile stress to the result of the finite element analysis. CONCLUSIONS : The research shown in this paper can be utilized as a precedent study for airport concrete pavement design using environmental and aircraft gear loadings simultaneously.

PURPOSES : The purpose of this study is to analyze the magnitude of shoving of asphalt pavement by junction type between airport concrete and asphalt pavements, and to suggest a junction type to reduce shoving. METHODS : The actual pavement junction of a domestic airport, which is called airport “A”was modified by placing the bottom of the buried slab on the top surface of the subbase. A finite element model was developed that simulated three junction types: a standard section of junction proposed by the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration), an actual section of junction from airport “A”and a modified section of junction from airport“ A”. The vertical displacement of the asphalt surface caused by the horizontal displacement of the concrete pavement was investigated in the three types of junction. RESULTS: A vertical displacement of approximately 13 mm occurred for the FAA standard section under horizontal pushing of 100 mm, and a vertical displacement of approximately 55 mm occurred for the actual section of airport “A”under the same level of pushing. On the other hand, for the modified section from airport“ A”a vertical displacement of approximately 17 mm occurred under the same level of pushing, which is slightly larger than the vertical displacement of the FAA standard section. CONCLUSIONS: It was confirmed that shoving of the asphalt pavement at the junction could be reduced by placing the bottom of the buried slab on the top surface of the subbase. It was also determined that the junction type suggested in this study was more advantageous than the FAA standard section because it resists faulting by the buried slab that is connected to the concrete pavement. Faulting of the junctions caused by aircraft loading will be compared by performing finite element analysis in the following study.