Investigation of Long-Term Performance and Deicing Longevity Prediction of Self-Ice-Melting Asphalt Pavement

Based on laboratory tests, the objective of this study is to assess long-term road performance and to predict deicing longevity of self-ice-melting asphalt pavements containing salt-storage materials. Dry-wet cycles and freeze-thaw cycles were used to treat the specimens at different durations. The long-term road performance of self-ice-melting asphalt mixtures was evaluated by freeze-thaw splitting tests, high-temperature rutting tests, and low-temperature beam bending tests. In addition, the influences of coefficients of void ratio, temperature, vehicle load, crack, and Mafilon (MFL) content on salt precipitation were quantified by conductivity tests, and single consumption of snow and ice melt was quantified by total dissolved solids (TDS) tests. The results show that the long-term water stability, long-term high-temperature stability, and long-term low-temperature crack resistance of self-ice-melting asphalt pavements tended to decrease as the number of dry-wet cycles and freeze-thaw cycles increased. Freeze-thaw cycles exerted deeper influences on the deterioration of road performance than dry-wet cycles, especially on water stability. With increased void ratio and temperature, salt precipitation was accelerated by 1.1 times and 1.5~1.8 times, respectively. Under vehicle loads and cracks, salt precipitation was accelerated by 1.5 times and 1.65 times, respectively. With decreased MFL content, salt precipitation slowed down by 0.54 times. Finally, based on the proportion of each factor relative to the whole life cycle of the pavement, a dicing longevity prediction model was established considering the above factors.