PURPOSES: The main distress of asphalt pavements in monsoon climate regions are caused by water damage and plastic deformation due to repeated rain season and increased heavy vehicle traffic volume. In this study, the mechanical properties of polymer-modified warm mix asphalt (PWMA) materials are evaluated to use in monsoon climate regions such as Indonesia. METHODS: Comprehensive laboratory tests are conducted to evaluate moisture resistance and permanent deformation resistance for three different asphalt mixtures such as the Indonesian conventional hot-mix asphalt (HMA) mixture, the polymer-modified asphalt mixture, and the polymer-modified warm mix asphalt (PWMA) mixture. Dynamic immersion test and indirect tensile strength ratio test are performed to evaluate moisture resistance. The wheel tracking test is performed to evaluate rutting resistance. Additionally, the Hamburg wheel tracking test is performed to evaluate rutting and moisture resistances simultaneously. RESULTS: The dynamic immersion test results indicate that the PWMA mixture shows the highest resistance to moisture. The indirect tensile strength ratio test indicates that TSR values of PWMA mixture, Indonesian PMA mixture, and Indonesian HMA mixture show 87.2%, 84.1%, and 67.9%, respectively. The wheel tracking test results indicate that the PWMA mixture is found to be more resistant to plastic deformation than the Indonesian PMA. The dynamic stability values are 2,739 times/mm and 3,150 times/mm, respectively. Moreover, the Hamburg wheel tracking test results indicate that PWMA mixture is more resistant to plastic deformation than Indonesian PMA and HMA mixtures. CONCLUSIONS: Based on limited laboratory test results, it is concluded that rutting resistance and moisture susceptibility of the PWMA mixture is superior to Indonesian HMA and Indonesian PMA mixtures. It is postulated that PWMA mixture would be suitable for climate and traffic conditions in Indonesia.

The purposes of this study were to classify detailed climate types over the Republic of Korea (ROK) and to delineate their climate characteristics using the new normals of 1991-2020 for 219 weather stations. Total five climate types, Cfa, Cfb, Cwa, Dwa, and Dwb were identified in ROK based on the Köppen’s climate classification criteria. Subtropical climate types, Cfa or Cwa types were broadly covered with 79.9% of 219 stations and the most of remaining stations were included in Dwa types which had a very cold winter and hot summer with wet conditions. In the Trewartha classification, four climate types were identified, one subtropical Cfa, and three temperate Doa, Dca, and Dcb types. Dcb types were found at four stations (Daegwallyeong, Taebaek, Jinburyeong, and Sabuk) in Taebak mountains indicating the extent of cool summer climate types with more stations in mountain areas. The climate characteristics by climate types only were presented the results from the Trewartha classification with the new normals and 66 ASOS stations because Köppen’s climate classification was not appropriate for ROK. The annual mean precipitation of Cfa was the greatest while Dcb the lowest among four types. The annual range was the greatest at Dca types while the smallest at Cfa due to the geographical varieties. More detailed climate types were located in ROK with 219 weather stations and the new normals (1991-2020). However, there were some limitation applying the criteria of Köppen’s and Trewartha’s climate classification to a very complex topographical region.

The climate of a given region is determined by the combination of the various climatic elements. But among them, the temperature is the most important element to classify the climatic type. The author attempted to classify the climatic types in Korea by making a analysis of the characteristics of temperature distribution. To accomplish the study, the author analyzed the daily and yearly range of temperature, the warmest and coldest months, continentality and oceanicity, thermal anomaly, and relative temperature, etc. The data of 153 weather stations are used for the analysis of the above five criteria. As a result of the study, the climate of Korea can be divided into three types, namely, the continental, coastal and intermediate(or transitional) type. The Pronounced continental type is appeared in the northern part of highland area. And the coastal type is limited to the east and south coast areas, and the southern part of the west coast area. The continentality is larger, and the oceanicity smaller, than those of Siberia, Mongolia and the inland area of China where the continental climate is most remarkable in the world. The reason why the west coast area is more continental than the east coast area may be due to the terrain effect and the warm current going north along the east coastline.