Durability of asphalt concrete

In road construction asphalt concrete pavement undergoes intense mechanical and physical impacts during its operation, which ultimately leads to its breakdown. The most common impacts are load impacts and wear and tear from moving vehicles, water soaking of the material with its accompanying alternating freeze-thaw cycle, and salt corrosion. The negative impact of these factors is enhanced by the residual deformations accumulated in the material, which are caused by operational loads and uneven settlement of the base. The aging of the binder, which is expressed in an increase in its hardness, occurs due to the ultraviolet radiation from the sun and oxygen in the air.