Development of Small Specimen Geometry for Asphalt Mixture Performance Testing

TRB's National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Innovations Deserving Exploratory Analysis (IDEA) has released Final Report 181: Development of Small Specimen Geometry for Asphalt Mixture Performance Testing. The use of small specimen geometries in Asphalt Mixture Performance Tester (AMPT) offer a means to measure as-built pavement layers. Small specimen geometries may improve the efficiency of laboratory specimen fabrication by allowing the extraction of multiple test specimens per gyratory-compacted sample. This project develops equipment to enable small specimen testing in the AMPT; evaluates effects of specimen geometry on dynamic modulus, direct tension fatigue tests, and pavement performance prediction; and optimizes the laboratory fabrication of small specimens extracted from gyratory-compacted specimens.