Prediction of Rutting Formation in Asphalt Concrete Pavement

Permanent deformations or rutting is the main type of damage to the asphalt concrete pavement in Latvia. To eliminate it, a large section of the asphalt pavement must be renovated, which requires a lot of financial investment. In the current economic situation, this is inadmissible. In order to solve this problem, the in-depth laboratory study of deformation properties of the asphalt concrete composition is required. Since 2007 the Construction Science Centre of the Riga Technical University has been participating in the State Joint Stock Company “Latvian State Roads” research programme “Research on Application of New Technologies”, where this theme is included. Within the framework of the project, the Riga Technical University has acquired modern equipment to study the dynamics of appearance of permanent deformations. By applying the new technologies in Latvian circumstances, it is possible to timely evaluate the deformation properties of the asphalt concrete mixture composition prior to its being laid on the road, by manufacturing the asphalt concrete specimen close to the real circumstances and loading them on a road or a street, as well as to elaborate the asphalt concrete mixture compositions, which are resistant to rut formation.