Long-Term Service Performance of Hard-Grade Asphalt Concrete Base Pavement Based on Accelerated Loading Test of Full-Scale Structure

In order to evaluate the feasibility of using hard-grade asphalt concrete in China’s highway construction, based on the accelerated loading test of the full-scale track of the Research Institute of Highway Ministry of Transport (RIOHTrack), the long-term service performance of hard-grade asphalt concrete base pavement was studied, and its actual service effect was evaluated. The study found that hard-grade asphalt concrete has higher strength, modulus and high-temperature stability. Although the low-temperature performance is generally not as good as that of asphalt, with a penetration grade (PG) of 60/80, it has equivalent or better cracking resistance in the area where the RIOHTrack is located. During the five-year observation period, the rutting deformation of the pavement structure showed an annual fluctuation increase. In comparison, the rutting resistance of a hard-grade asphalt concrete base structure can be increased by approximately 16%, and the deflection value is smaller, so the long-term performance of the anti-rutting effect and structural bearing capacity are better. The study shows that hard-grade asphalt concrete base pavement is suitable for highway construction in parts of China, where the climate is similar to that of the RIOHTrack location, or the temperature is higher or the latitude is lower.