Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

5-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.S.

Department

Civil, Coastal, and Environmental Engineering

Committee Chair

Shenghua Wu, Ph.D.

Advisor(s)

John Cleary, Ph.D., Min-Wook Kang, Ph.D., and Jinhui Wang, Ph.D.

Abstract

Traffic circles play a vital role in managing traffic flow and ensuring safety, yet their unique traffic conditions make them prone to early cracking and deformation. This study evaluated the performance of overlay and leveling binder asphalt mixtures for a reconstructed traffic circle at the University of South Alabama, using plant-mixed laboratory-compacted (PMLC) specimens. Volumetric analyses were performed to determine maximum specific gravity (Gmm), bulk specific gravity (Gmb), and air voids content. Laboratory tests were conducted on both the overlay and leveling binder layers using indirect tensile cracking test (IDEAL-CT) and indirect tensile rutting test (IDEAL-RT) to assess cracking tolerance and rutting resistance, along with cantabro mass loss and moisture susceptibility tests to evaluate durability. Mechanistic-empirical pavement design was executed using PerRoad 4.4 simulation software to predict fatigue and rutting life. The results indicated that the overlay exhibited superior cracking resistance and moisture susceptibility, along with a longer predicted fatigue life compared to the leveling binder. Field monitoring conducted over eight months revealed good ride quality with no vibrations, and the pavement condition index (PCI) showed that the road remained in good to satisfactory condition.

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