Laboratory Cracking Performance Evaluation of Polymer-Modified and Fiber-Reinforced Asphalt Concrete: A Case Study of New York (NY) State

Innovative types of asphalt additives have the potential to improve pavement performance against different types of distresses. This study aimed to evaluate the reflective cracking and fatigue cracking potential of polymer-modified (PM) and fiber-reinforced (FR) mixtures with and without recycled asphalt pavements (RAP). A total of four types (two PM and two FR) of mixtures were produced at a plant in the New York (NY) region. One of the PM and FR mixtures had 20% and 15% RAP content, respectively, in the asphalt mix. NY State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) did not disclose the details about the polymer or fiber types and their dosages in the binder. Indirect tension asphalt cracking (IDEAL-CT), semi-circular bend (SCB), four-point beam (4 PB) fatigue, and Texas overlay (OT) tests were performed to characterize the fatigue and reflective cracking behavior of additive modified mixtures. IDEAL-CT and SCB test results showed that PM mixtures showed better cracking performance. However, with the addition of RAP, the cracking performance deteriorates. The 4 PB and OT test results demonstrate that PM mixtures showed better fatigue and reflective cracking potential compared to FR mixtures.