Thermography-driven distress prediction from hot mix asphalt road paving construction

This research was conducted to assess the effects of temperature segregation in hot-mix asphalt (HMA) paving construction on pavement distress in the early stages of its life cycle. Several paving projects across Nebraska were visited in which sensory devices were used to test how density, moisture content within the asphalt, material surface temperature, internal temperature, wind speed, haul time, and equipment type, contribute to temperature differential. Areas of high temperature differential were identified using an infrared thermal camera. A nonnuclear density device was also used to record how lower temperature asphalt density correlates with a more consistent hot area. The location was marked digitally with a handheld global positioning system (GPS) to locate points of interest for future site revisits to verify research findings. The research findings indicate that among the investigated variables, truck types and density are highly correlated with temperature differential. Additionally, analysis of data from revisits after one or two freeze-thaw seasons shows that higher temperature differential is significantly correlated with premature distress (PD) of paved HMA roads while they are still in new condition. This finding suggests that higher temperature segregation created from paving construction in the zone of freeze-thaw cycles promotes visible surface distress in the very early stage of the pavement life cycle.