Asphalt pavement structure optimization with alternative materials

The paper briefly describes modern method assessment of the pavement structure based on the simplified viscoelastic continuum damage (S-VECD) model. The method was used to compare two types of pavement structures. There were analysed classical cstructures with asphalt concretes with neat bitumen and innovative one- or two layered structures with SMA 16 with highly polymer modified bitumen (HiMA). Pavement structures using SMA 16 are especially recommended for local roads, thus two traffic categories were analysed – light and medium. Furthermore, due to specific properties of layers with HiMA, for each variant two different types of improved sub-base were checked. The examples presented, despite reduced thickness of asphalt layers, structures with SMA 16 HiMA are much more resistant to fatigue than classic structures with asphalt concretes with neat bitumen. The results of the research confirm that it is possible to develop innovative structures with materials with above standard properties. New materials both with new arrangement of layers can bring a lot of advantages especially in the areas of sustainable development, costs reducing and improving properties of asphalt pavements.