Laboratory Evaluation of Rutting Potential of Asphalt Mixtures

This paper describes a laboratory procedure to evaluate the rutting potential of asphalt mixtures using a wheel tracking machine. Moving loads were applied through solid rubber tired wheels that travel with a reciprocating motion on slab specimens of asphalt mixtures. The specimens were prepared in parallepipedal steel molds by means of static compression to achieve fairly uniform density distribution within individual specimens. The machine allows rut tests to be conducted at different temperatures, magnitudes of applied loads, and speeds of loading. Results of a test program are reported to illustrate the application of the procedure to study the effects of temperature and loading speed on rut development in an asphalt mixture.