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Abstract

Pavements in cold regions of the United States undergo significant accumulation of snow and ice on their surfaces during the extended winter season, leading to reduced skid resistance and increased traffic crashes. Deicers, such as sodium chloride, calcium chloride, and magnesium chloride, have been used to remove ice as part of winter maintenance measures. However, their use combined with freeze-thaw (F-T) cycles and the interactions of these factors with the pavement components is linked to durability issues and premature failures. These interactions result in the debonding of asphalt binder and aggregate in the presence of chloride deicers and F-T cycles. The pull-off strength of PG 58-34 asphalt binder-aggregate systems conditioned with different aqueous concentrations of deicers subjected to F-T cycles was determined at the component level. Furthermore, the thermodynamic-based approach was used to assess the adhesion, debonding, and moisture-induced damage potential of aggregate-binder systems in the presence of deicer solutions. On the mix-level, the moisture-induced damage potential and the rutting resistance of the PG 58-34 asphalt mix specimens conditioned with salt solutions and F-T cycles were evaluated using the tensile strength ratio and Hamburg wheel tracker tests. A semicircular bend test was used to characterize the fracture properties of the asphalt mixes subjected to salt solutions and F-T. This multi-scale study intends to offer valuable insights into the adhesion and moisture-induced damage mechanisms of asphalt mix components when exposed to calcium chloride deicers and F-T cycles, contributing to developing effective winter maintenance plans for more durable pavements in cold areas.

How to Cite

Ghabchi, Rouzbeh, and Maryam Mihandoust. Effect of Deicing Agents and Environmental Conditions on the Performance of Asphalt Pavements in Cold Regions, MPC-24-549. North Dakota State University - Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute, Fargo: Mountain-Plains Consortium, 2024.