THE STUDY OF PERMANENT DEFORMATION USING THE STATIC CREEP TEST

J.V.Merighi1, R.M.Fortes1
1
Professor of the Department of Civil Engineering, Presbyterian University Mackenzie
ABSTRACT
The study of the asphalt mixtures when well made can reduce the appearance of the permanent deformation substantially,
mainly in tropical regions where the temperatures in the pavement can exceed 60 C during 8 months of the year. The
literature has presented studies using procedures that involve equipment whose price is very beyond the available financial
resources to the road managers of the countries with emergent economy. This paper presents the study of the permanent
deformation with the purpose to implement the static creep that is very simple and has low cost, it can be used by
communities that do not make use of more sophisticated equipment. They are presented resulted of study of behavior to the
permanent deformation using the Pavement Rutting Tester from Laboratorie Central des Ponts et Chausses (LCPC) and
creep static as well as a study of repeatability of the two types of procedures.
Keywords: Creep, Design of pavement, Direct Tension Test, Permanent Deformation, Testing
1. INTRODUCTION
Permanent deformation or rutting is one of the major distresses that affects the asphalt concrete pavement structures
performance [1]. The development of rutting is based on the increase of load applications and it is caused by a combination
of not only densification but also shear-related deformation. It may occur in any layer of pavement structure. Its origin can
be associated with the results from vertical permanent deformation on one intermediate layer of the structure, the sum of
partial vertical deformation of all layers or permanent deformation caused by the asphalt pavement layer.
After the asphalt mix layer construction , the deformation firstly occurs, and consequently there is a densification caused
by the traffic load. The mixture can lose the balance and because of this, it can cause the shear and consequently lateral
deformation.
Historically, Hubbard-Field Test (USA) was the first test method developed in the 20s. Its goal was to evaluate the
strength of asphalt concrete. In the 50s, in the USA, two new methods for mix design were developed: Hveem and
Marshall. In Brazil, the Marshall Test was adopted by the majority of the Department of Transportation (DOT), Municipal
Government, and also by the National Department of Highway (DNER).
In the 70s , new procedures to evaluate the rutting performance had been used and in the last 20 years, several loaded
wheel tester had been developed . It had been used in Europe and the USA. There are French Wheel-Tracking Rutting
Tester (France); Nottingham Rutting Tester (UK); Hamburg Wheel Tracking Device (Germany); Georgia Loaded Wheel
Tester and Asphalt Pavement Analyzer both from the USA.
The roads in Brazil have about one hundred and sixty five thousand km and approximately the same number of urban
pavement . The roads administration dont have enough money to manage it , thus we have to figure it out, focusing on
simple and easy solutions for public management. Full-scale wheel tracking tests are expensive moreover impractical for
most construction project.
The main goal of this paper is to make a comparative study of the results from French Wheel-Tracking Rutting Tester
(France), dynamic and static creep test besides, explain about the static creeps potential as a simple test to evaluate the
rutting of the asphalt mixture .
2. PERMANENT DEFORMATION BACKGROUND
By the Interamerican Bank of Development Program of the Pavement Rehabilitation in So Paulo (Brazil), that was created
in 2000, was possible to analyze the main distresses among more than 2000 km of roads in 52 projects. The major distress
observed had cracked and other distress had a permanent deformation.
When the value was until 7 mm it was slow and it was moderate when the rutting was between 7 and 20 mm. In the first
case, it corresponds about 10% of the test sections and considering the second case; the average was about 15%.

However in the same place, where the last intervention had been made in the last 3 years, it was observed that there were
concentrations of wheel path with rut depths that were greater than 12 mm with traffic levels ranging from 2 x106 ESALs
(Equivalent single axle load) per year.
On the order hand, not only in the bus line but also in the urban area, the main distress is the rutting. Generally , the width
in this specific road is 3.00 m because of the limited area in the towns. There is a load concentration on wheel path.
For YODER & WITCZAK [2], the rutting deformation can be defined as a distortion in the pavement surface caused by the
consolidation of one or more layers of it. American norm ASTM D 5340 [3] defines i t as a superficial depression in the
rutting. It can appear in the survey of the edges along the track, and can increase the permanent deformation. It can
also damage the pavement structure. The Brazilian norm of the DNER, and the TER 001/78 terminology document about
defects in the flexible and semi-rigid pavements [4], define it as permanent deformation characterized by the depression
of the pavement surface. It can be followed by the waves or not.
According to HUBER & DECKER [5], the mixtures asphalt projects were based on empirical properties . When it was
well controlled , its execution had great probability of presenting good performance. The concept of air voids and also
the relation of mineral associated with the asphalt mixtures were already used at the beginning of the last century.
During the First Great War, the Hubbard Fields method was introduced for the
project of asphalt mixtures. It had
concepts about voids mineral aggregate (V.M.A) and Field Stability Test. In the 30s , the Marshalls method was
introduced and in the 40s, the Hveems method. Both methods were based on volumetric properties besides the
mechanical empiricists type fluency and balance. According to HUDSON [6], during the 60s, there had been introduced
the conception of the laboratory tests. Tests had been developed to measure the modulus of elasticity of the asphalt mixtures
by different methods. The rigidity was observed from the tests used by specimens molded undergone the beam form or
cylindrical one . In this case they could test in a diametrical or vertical position, with or without repeated load. Each
procedure was studied yet it did not have a common result, therefore each parameter depended on the geometry shape
and the load shape application.
Throught the consulted bibliography, can be concluded that three trends of models for forecast of performance of asphalt
mixtures exist how much to the formation of permanent deformation: models from rheological tests of behavior type creep
dynamic and static; developed models to give birth of results gotten with simulator equipment type loaded wheel tester, and
correlations between the traffic and the rutting.
The field correlations are limited to the conditions of comparison similarity, having prepondered the use of the two firstly
cited in relation to the others two types, not having a trend defined for the community technique.
3. EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH
The laboratory test specimens used in this research can be classified according to two sets: cylindrical specimens that were
prepared using the same type of procedure and the Marshall method . It is compacted into 100 mm diameter, about 4 inch,
and 75 blows per face, moreover there are plaques for LPC Wheel-Tracking Rutting Tester (WTRT), and the LCPC
recommendations [7]. The specimens production used in this case will be reported in chapter 5.
3.1 Types of Mixture Tested:
There are two types of mixture that were studied in this research. The most common surface course mix used in So Paulo
(Brazil) is a hot mix asphalt. It is known as GRADATION III and the open graduated asphalt, GRADATION II.
The aggregate gradation of these mixtures are showed in Figures 1 and 2 and the asphalt binder of each mix are shown in
Table 1. There is also a comparative study about the aggregate gradation effects in the result test . The cement asphalt that
was used presented penetration and grade 60/70. The main technical characteristics of asphalt mixtures are shown in Table
2.
3.2 Specimen Preparing
The specimens used in the static creep test had been capped by the use of resinous materials. The capping plate was
lightly coated. The capping material was made by the use of about 70 g of resinous material and 15g of catalyst. Firstly, this
material was mixed and placed into the plate , its diameter is 100 mm. Secondly, the asphalt specimens were put over the
resinous materials and we had to wait for 40 minutes, controlling the leveling using a level (See Figure 3). Then the same
procedure was adopted on the other face of the specimen and each one was capped about 24 hours before the tests.

3.3 Testing Conditions

The procedure temperature that had been used in the static test was 25, 40 and 50C. It had been expected to show the
same stabilization .We could control the temperature using a thermometer.
4. STATIC CREEP TEST
In the static creep test, the specimen was placed in a load device. This apparatus was suitable to apply vertical loads for the
specimen. The device should be able to maintain specific loads for long periods . Approximately 0.5% of the applied load.
The same apparatus was used in these tests . There is a method test for one-dimensional consolidation, that was adapted
by the use of a box , its temperature was lower than the other one. It is showed in Figure 4.
Firstly it was applied 0.2 MPa of preliminary normal stress. Thus the test was developed in four steps. Each step showed
a normal stress and it was applied 0.55 MPa (approximately 80 psi). The deformation was registered during 0, 10, 20, 30,
, 90, 100, 200, 500 and 1000s, using a dial gage graduated in units of 0,001 mm and it was able to register a maximum
deflection of 5 mm.
Secondly, the load was removed and its deformation had been registered during 1010, 1020, 1030, , 1090, 1100, 1200,
1500 and 2000 s. In addition to this, it was applied a new loading (step). This operation was repeated three times , the
total was four times. The results are shown in Table 3 and the Figure 5 shows the graphics about the permanent
deformation versus time.
The average of deformation is 70, 80% and it occurred in the first loading. The permanent deformation, in the last time
represented the average of 5% of the total test.
The repeatability static creep test was made to compare with LPC wheel-tracking rutting testes and to know the accuracy of
this test. This test was carried through in the temperatures of 25C, using 10 specimens. To assess the evolution of this test,
a statistical indicator, the coefficient of variation (COV) was established. This coefficient is the quotient of the standard
deviation and the average, and is often expressed as a percentage. In Table 4 is presented the permanent deformation
express in mm for all steps. The average of permanent deformations was 0.52 mm while the COV was 10.1 %.
5. USE OF LPC WHEEL-TRACKING RUTTING TESTER
The lornireur type LPC, developed in 1968-70 , is a tool used in rutting performance studies of asphalt mixes. The test
material is previously compacted into a specimen slab, its dimensions are 180 mm x 500 mm and presents 50 mm and 100
mm high; a specific section of the slab is submitted to a large number of wheel tracking cycles, as reported by GRIMAUX
[7].
The simulator works at 1Hz, the temperature can be kept in 20oC to 70oC and the pressure may vary up to 0.7 MPa. In
this research, the temperature test was 25, 40 and 50 C (see Figure 6). The Figure 7 shows both lab compactor (a) and the
simulator (b).
The samples were compacted in 50 mm plate and at the same Marshall method compacting degree. Brosseaud et al. [8]
recommend that the test should be finished after 30,000 cycles unless rut depth exceeds 15 percent, but the test can be
carried out for a greater number of cycles.
The results are shown in Table 5, the specific permanent deformation () when temperature was 25, 40 and 50C,
expressed in percentage for gradation II and III. It was observed that the specific permanent deformation increased when the
temperature increased and it is bigger in gradation III than II.
The permanent deformation versus cycles in different gradation temperatures II and III, respectively, is shown in Figures 7
and 8.
A repeatability study was done to show the test efficiency using 10 specimens. When it was on the left side of the
simulator it was called L and R on the right one [9]. Permanent deformation at 25C is shown in Table 6. It was done until
100,000 cycles. It was carefully observed that in 30,000 cycles the COV was 6.9% and in 100,000 cycles it was 8.5%.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

The major goal of this research was to study the potential of the static creep test, which is simple and has low cost, used to
preview the performance of asphalt mixtures applied to study the permanent deformation for the mixture.
After the repeatability statistical analysis done with two kinds test realized, it is possible to conclude the following:
The repeatability is compatible with the usual dispersion found in another asphalt mixtures tests, such as indirect
tensile strength test ;
The Static Creep Test time is very small;
The equipment and specimens preparation cost are very cheap;
The Static Creep Test procedure is very simple.
Fro the analysis of table 3 and 6 results, it is possible to conclude that:
a) the Static Creep Test results are compatible with the Wheel Tracking Test, because both dont enable any
conclusion or correlation about the roads axle. It is only possible to find relative information, for instance, in terms
of permanent deformation minor or major tendency between different mixtures;
b) The Static Creep Test enables the temperature effects verification. The table 3 showed the increase of the
permanent deformation when occurred the increase of temperature;
c) Both gradations II and III are presented in Table 6. The gradation II showed better performance
Finally, the authors agree that the Static Creep Test is potentially recommended for preliminary analysis about the asphalt
mixtures performance. Nevertheless, they understand that in high costs constructions, the engineers must try other studies
like the simulation in real scale.
The authors intend to do more test with another samples to improve the information of the performance of this test.
Sieve size
Gradation
II
III

38.0
(1 )
100.0
-

25.0
(1)
100.0
-

19.0
(3/4)
100.0
100.0

Percent passing (%) sieve size, mm (in or #)

12.5
9.5
4.75
2.36
2.00
0.42
(1/2)
(3/8)
(#4)
(#8)
60.8
40.4
27.3
16.0
98.8
81.4
61.1
44.2
20.5

0.175
10.1
12.8

0.075
(#200)
5.4
8.8

Table 1: Gradation of aggregates used in the tests.

Gradation

Theoretical maximum

Unit weight

Opt AC

VMA

Stability

Flow (150C)

density (kg/cm )

(kg/cm )

(%)

(%)

(150C) (kg)

(x 10-2 mm)

II

2.529

2.424

4.3

4.6

1270

12.8

III

2.491

2.407

5.2

3.6

1140

13.5

Table 2: Summary of mixture properties.

Total permanent deformation (mm)
Temperature
Gradation
II
III

25C
0.34
0.51

40C
0.42
0.77

50C
0.51
0.92

Table 3: Permanent deformation of the average of two gradations in static creep test.

Sample
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Average (mm)
Standard Deviation
Variance
COV (%)

Permanent deformation - 25 C - Gradation III (mm)

Step
1
2
3
4
Total
0.338
0.078
0.032
0.019
0.467
0.384
0.064
0.028
0.022
0.497
0.399
0.070
0.056
0.037
0.561
0.339
0.083
0.057
0.033
0.512
0.370
0.093
0.047
0.033
0.543
0.454
0.109
0.025
0.019
0.606
0.368
0.073
0.044
0.037
0.522
0.334
0.082
0.038
0.024
0.478
0.350
0.074
0.042
0.032
0.498
0.338
0.070
0.047
0.028
0.483
0.369
0.082
0.039
0.028
0.52
0.049
0.016
0.009
0.007
0.05
0.002
0.000
0.000
0.000
0.003
13.3
19.5
21.9
25.5
10.1

Table 4 Study of repeatability using tem specimens in static creep test.

Cycles
25

0
100
300
1000
3000
10000
30000

II
0.0
0.040
0.077
0.116
0.186
0.273
0.418

III
0.0
0.289
0.360
0.475
0.563
0.733
0.983

Specific permanent deformation - (%)

Temperature (C )
40
Gradation
II
III
0.128
0.548
0.260
0.953
0.457
1.434
0.872
2.204
1.502
3.336
2.120
4.939

50
II
0.000
0.145
0.260
0.541
0.960
1.563
2.496

III
0.000
0.740
1.153
1.600
2.521
3.412
4.907

Table 5 The specific of permanent deformation in temperatures of 25, 40 and 50C.

Permanent deformation (mm)
Cycles
Specimens
24 L and R
25 L and R
26 L and R
100 L and R
101 L and R
Average (mm)
Stardard Desviation
Coefficient of Variation (%)
Table 6

30
0.40
0.28
0.36
0.12
0.06
0.24
0.15
60.7

100
0.63
0.47
0.56
0.18
0.14
0.40
0.22
55.7

300
0.95
0.69
0.81
0.24
0.28
0.59
0.32
53.2

1,000
0.32
1.01
1.19
0.78
0.99
0.86
0.33
38.6

Study of repeatability in wheel tracking test [9].

3,000
2.04
1.56
1.80
1.55
1.81
1.75
0.20
11.6

10,000
3.10
2.61
3.01
2.96
3.12
2.96
0.20
6.9

30,000
4.19
3.54
4.11
3.75
4.06
3.93
0.27
6.9

70,000
5.00
4.13
4.59
4.36
4.68
4.55
0.33
7.3

100,000
5.33
4.24
4.77
4.67
5.01
4.80
0.41
8.5

PENEIRAS
(mm)
Sieve (mm)

100

0,075

0,175

0,42

2,00

4,8

9,52

19,1 25,4 38,1

90

10

80

20

Percent Passing (%)

70

30

60

40

50

50

40
60

30
70

20

80

10

90

0
0,0

Dimetro em(mm)

0,1

1,0

10,0

Sieve size, mm

100,0

Figure 1: Aggregate of asphalt mixture Gradation II used in Tests.

Sieve
(mm)
PENEIRAS
(mm)

100

0,075

0,175

0,42

2,00

4,8

9,52

12,7

19,1 25,4 38,1

00

Percent Passing (%)

90

10

80

20

70

30

60

40

50

50

40

60

30

70

20

80

10

90

100

0,0

0,1

1,0

Figure 2: Aggregate of asphalt mixture Gradation III used in Tests.

10,0

Sieve size, mm 100,0

Figure 3: Capping the specimens.

Figure 4: The apparatus used in the test method.

STATIC CREEP
Gradation III
25C
1
0.9

step 1

Deformatiom (mm)

0.8

step 2

0.7

step 3

0.6

step 4

0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
0

500

1000

1500
Time (s)

Figure 5: Typical graphic of deformation versus time in Static Creep Test.

Figure 6: View of the compactor (a) and the LCPC traffic simulator (b) [10]

2000

2500

SPECIFIC PERMANENT DEFORMATION x CYCLES

2

Gradation II P = 0,55 MPa (5,6 kg/cm )

(%) = 10-6,02999 C0,447344 T 2,67073 R2 = 0,964
10

(%)

0,1

25 C
40 C
50 C

0,01
1

10

100

1000

10000

100000

Cycles

Figure 7: Specific permanent deformation from Wheel Tracking Test gradation II [9].

SPECIFIC PERMANENT DEFORMATION x CYCLES

2

Gradation III P =0,55 MPa (5,6 kg/cm )

-4,19221
0,340585
2,025723
2
(% ) = 10
C
T
R = 0,956

(%)

10

25 C
40 C
50 C
0,1
1

10

100

1000

10000

CYCLES

Figure 8: Specific permanent deformation from Wheel Tracking Test gradation III [9].

100000

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